Red List of South African Species

Alternatively, Explore species
| National Red List categories | Partners |
Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Zimkitha Madikiza Siviwe Lamani Rod Baxter Boris Kryštufek Duncan MacFadyen Emmanuel Do Linh San
Contributors: Claire Relton Nico Avenant Margaret Avery Ara Monadjem Guy Palmer Peter Taylor Beryl Wilson
Reviewers: Zimkitha Madikiza Siviwe Lamani Rod Baxter Boris Kryštufek Duncan MacFadyen Emmanuel Do Linh San

Rationale

The Woodland Dormouse is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution within the assessment region and presumed large population. It is present in many protected areas, and can co-occur with human habitation. Although the species is thought to occur in naturally low numbers, it is not suspected to be declining as there are no major threats. As this rodent is arboreal, it is difficult to trap on the ground, and thus may be more abundant than expected. For future surveys, it is recommended that traps are set in trees. This species may have to be reassessed as the species complex is disentangled through ongoing molecular work.

Regional population effects: Unless conditions are favourable, this species may occur in low numbers across the central, eastern and northern parts of the assessment area. Where it occurs in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, immigration is expected where continuous woodland is found or where patchy woodlands are connected by riverine forests or similar wooded corridors.

Distribution

The Woodland Dormouse has a scattered distribution that stretches from Ethiopia to South Africa (reaching as far west as the Western Cape) and Lesotho. Within the assessment region, it ranges across Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape provinces and marginally into the Western and Northern Cape. It also occurs in Swaziland (Monadjem 1998) and Lesotho (Lynch 1994).

Within the North West Province, only one individual was captured recently (post-2000), which was taken in Terminalia sericea woodland near Mositha in the Mafikeng Bushveld vegetation type (Power 2014). However, numerous dead specimens were found throughout the province as Woodland Dormice often nest in electrical switchboxes and sometimes die when in torpor.

Population trend

Trend

This species is thought to generally occur at low densities, although these can vary drastically where the species experiences “boom and bust” cycles, possibly in response to variations in rainfall and food availability. In the Great Fish River Nature Reserve (GFRNR), Eastern Cape, densities have been estimated to vary between 2 and 16 individuals / ha depending on the season and year (Madikiza 2010; Z.J.K. Madikiza pers. obs. 2006–2012) in riverine Combretum forests, where it can be the dominant small mammal. It is, however, unclear whether the presence of wooden nest boxes at the study site might have improved nesting conditions and offspring survival (Madikiza et al. 2010a), hence leading to overall higher densities than usual. Woodland Dormice exhibit low densities in Telperion Nature Reserve (Mpumalanga) in areas where large rocks are present, but have been recorded from various accommodation units at the study site (MacFadyen 2014).

Although it has been noted that this species is seldom caught in traps and is more commonly recorded from houses, it is likely because in most studies traps were set on the ground and not on logs or in trees. In GFRNR, Madikiza et al. (2010b) did not make a single capture on the ground, either inside or outside the riverine forest, during a 13-month period. In contrast, trapping success in trees averaged 13.3 captures per 100 trap nights, with a minimum average of 5.1 captures in winter and a maximum average of 19.0 captures in summer. In a subsequent study in the same area, Lamani (2014) only recorded 10% of captures on the ground over the four seasons of the year.

Threats

There are no major threats to this species. However, habitat loss and fragmentation from mining and agriculture is likely to cause local subpopulation declines. This species is unlikely to persist in agricultural monocultures with few or no trees. In transformed areas, it is only likely to remain within the rocky, inaccessible habitats, which are unsuitable for agriculture. However, it is adaptable and is known to make use of secondary habitats, including roofs of buildings or thatched huts, switch boxes, water pumps and transformers. Resultantly, it can become a nuisance by causing electrical short circuits (Skinner & Chimimba 2005).

Uses and trade

The Woodland Dormouse seems to be growing in popularity in the pet trade in Europe and USA (see e.g. https://www.thespruce.com/african-dormice-as-pets-1236775). We suspect that a large majority of pet Woodland Dormice originate from captive breeding programmes rather than from the wild. There are also anecdotal records of schoolboys keeping them as pets in Zimbabwe (Skinner & Chimimba 2005).

Conservation

Within the assessment region, the Woodland Dormouse is present within many protected areas across its range, including the Kruger National Park (Limpopo and Mpumalanga), Telperion Nature Reserve (Mpumalanga), Ezemvelo Nature Reserve (Gauteng), Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (Northern Cape), Silaka, Hluleka, Dwesa, Mpofu, Fort Fordyce and the Great Fish River nature reserves (Eastern Cape). It is also present in the forests of the Amathole Mountains. Although no specific conservation interventions are necessary, protected area expansion to ensure corridors of suitable woodland for movement would benefit this species.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Protect woodland areas.
  • Influence agricultural policy to ensure connected patches of woodland are retained.
Research priorities:
  • Taxonomic revision is required to disentangle this species complex.
  • The boundaries between G. murinus and G. microtis should be clearly defined.
  • A better knowledge of the geographic distribution of this and other dormice species is needed. As trap placement is critical, with traps generally having to be set in trees in order to successfully catch this species, it means that Woodland Dormice could well be present in areas where they have not previously been detected.
A team of researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand and at the University of Fort Hare has been running a long-term project on the biology, ecology and behaviour of the Woodland Dormouse. Contact details of the research coordinator: Dr Kim Madikiza, School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, WITS 2050. Email: kim.madikiza@wits.ac.za.

Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas.
  • Plant suitable indigenous trees in gardens and ensure corridors of natural vegetation remain to allow local movements.

References 

[@book{275,
 address = {Cambridge},
 author = {Skinner, J.D. and Chimimba, C.T.},
 publisher = {Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion},
 year = {2005}
}
,@article{5228,
 author = {Lynch, C.D.},
 journal = {Navorsing van die Nasionale Museum Bloemfontein},
 pages = {177--241},
 title = {The mammals of Lesotho},
 volume = {10},
 year = {1994}
}
,@techreport{5228,
 author = {Power, R.J.},
 institution = {Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation & Tourism, North West Provincial Government, Mahikeng},
 title = {The distribution and status of mammals in the North West Province},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{9488,
 author = {Taylor, P.J., Richardson, E.J., Meester, J. and Wingate, L.},
 journal = {Durban Museum Novitates},
 pages = {59--66},
 title = {New distribution records for six small mammal species in Natal, with notes on their taxonomy and ecology},
 volume = {19},
 year = {1994}
}
,@article{19529,
 author = {Lynch C.D.},
 journal = {Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum Bloemfontein },
 pages = {1--116},
 title = {The mammals of the north-eastern Cape Province},
 volume = {25},
 year = {1989}
}
,@inbook{21693,
 address = {London},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {<i>Thallomys shortridgei</i> Shortridge’s Acacia Rat (Shortridge’s Thallomys)},
 editor = {Nel, J.A.J.},
 pages = {562–563},
 publisher = {Bloomsbury Publishing},
 title = {Mammals of Africa. Volume III: Rodents, Hares and Rabbits},
 year = {2013}
}
,@book{30209,
 address = {Mbabane, Swaziland.},
 author = {Monadjem A},
 publisher = {Conservation Trust of Swaziland and Big Games Parks},
 title = {The mammals of Swaziland},
 year = {1998}
}
,@phdthesis{573,
 author = {MacFadyen DN},
 school = {University of Pretoria},
 title = {The dynamics of small mammal populations in Rocky Highveld Grassland, Telperion, South Africa},
 year = {2014}
}
,@book{4144,
 address = {London, UK},
 author = {Kingdon, J.},
 publisher = {Academic Press},
 title = {East African Mammals: An Atlas of Evolution in Africa},
 year = {1982}
}
,@article{6509,
 author = {Jooste JF, Palmer NG},
 journal = {South African Journal of Wildlife Research},
 pages = {26--35},
 title = {The distribution and habitat preference of some small mammals in the Rolfontein Nature Reserve},
 volume = {12},
 year = {1982}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Matolengwe T.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Diet of the small-spotted genet, Genetta genetta (Carnivora: Viverridae), in the Great Fish River Reserve (South Africa). M.Sc. Thesis.},
 year = {2010}
}
,@inbook{9485,
 address = {Washington, DC, USA.},
 author = {Wilson  and Reeder },
 booktitle = {Family Myoxidae},
 editor = {Holden ME.},
 pages = {763–770},
 publisher = {Smithsonian Institution Press},
 title = {Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographical Reference},
 year = {1993}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Dippenaar NJ, Meester J, Rautenbach IL, Wolhuter DA.},
 journal = {Annales, Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Sciences Zoologiques},
 pages = {103–107},
 title = {The status of southern African mammal taxonomy},
 volume = {237},
 year = {1983}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Ellison, G.T.H. and Skinner, JD.},
 journal = {Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde},
 pages = {41–47},
 title = {Thermoregulation and torpor in African woodland dormice, <i>Graphiurus murinus</i>, following cold acclimation},
 volume = {56},
 year = {1991}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Kryštufek B, Haberl W, Baxter RM, Zima J.},
 journal = {Folia Zoologica},
 pages = {339–350},
 title = {Morphology and karyology of two populations of the woodland dormouse <i>Graphiurus murinus</i> in the Eastern Cape, South Africa},
 volume = {53},
 year = {2004}
}
,@phdthesis{9487,
 author = {Lamani S.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Resting site ecology of the woodland dormouse Graphiurus murinus at the Great Fish River Reserve, Eastern Cape. B.Sc. Honours Thesis.},
 year = {2011}
}
,@phdthesis{9487,
 author = {Lamani S.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Diet and microhabitat use of the woodland dormouse <i>Graphiurus murinus</i> at the Great Fish River Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa. M.Sc. Thesis.},
 year = {2014}
}
,@phdthesis{9487,
 author = {Lombard M.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Activity patterns of the woodland dormouse <i>Graphiurus murinus</i> at the Great Fish River Reserve (Eastern Cape, South Africa): a pilot study. B.Sc. Honours Thesis.},
 year = {2014}
}
,@phdthesis{9487,
 author = {Madikiza ZJK.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Population biology and aspects of the socio-spatial organization of the Woodland dormouse <i>Graphiurus murinus</i> (Desmarest, 1822) in the Great Fish River Reserve, South Africa. M.Sc. Thesis.},
 year = {2010}
}
,@phdthesis{9487,
 author = {Madikiza ZJK.},
 school = {University of the Witwatersrand},
 title = {Sociality in the African Woodland dormouse. Ph.D. Thesis},
 year = {2017}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Madikiza ZJK, Bertolino S, Baxter RM, Do Linh San E.},
 journal = {European Journal of Wildlife Research },
 pages = {735–743},
 title = {Nest box use by woodland (<i>Graphiurus murinus</i>): the influence of life cycle and nest box placement.},
 volume = {56},
 year = {2010}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Madikiza ZJK, Bertolino S, Baxter RM, Do Linh San E.},
 journal = {Zoological Studies},
 pages = {797–805},
 title = {Seasonal, sexual and age-related variations in the live-trapping success of woodland dormice (<i>Graphiurus murinus</i>).},
 volume = {49},
 year = {2010}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Madikiza ZJK, Bertolino S, Do Linh San E.},
 journal = {Journal of Ethology},
 pages = {375–380},
 title = {Female in space, or female in space and time? First data on the socio-spatial organization and mating system of the woodland dormouse (<i>Graphiurus murinus</i>)},
 volume = {29},
 year = {2011}
}
,@inbook{9487,
 address = {Berlin, Germany},
 author = {Ruf  and Bieber  and Arnold  and Millesi },
 booktitle = {Hibernation in free-ranging African woodland dormice, <i>Graphiurus murinus</i>},
 editor = {Mzilikazi N, Madikiza Z, Oelkrug R, Baxter RM.},
 pages = {41–50},
 publisher = {Springer},
 title = {Living in a Seasonal World, Thermoregulatory and Metabolic Adaptations.},
 year = {2012}
}
,@phdthesis{9487,
 author = {Qwede K.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Observations on two populations of the woodland dormouse, <i>Graphiurus murinus</i>, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. B.Sc. Honours Thesis},
 year = {2003}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Webb PI, Skinner JD.},
 journal = {Journal of Comparative Physiology, Series B},
 pages = {325–330},
 title = {Summer torpor in African woodland dormice <i>Graphiurus murinus</i> (Myoxidae: Graphiurinae).},
 volume = {166},
 year = {1996}
}
,@article{9487,
 author = {Whittington-Jones CA, Brown CR},
 journal = {South African Journal of Zoology},
 pages = {34–38},
 title = {Thermoregulatory capabilities of the woodland dormouse, <i>Graphiurus murinus</i>},
 volume = {34},
 year = {1999}
}
,]
Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Lead agencies, Partners and Funders

See the partners page