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Chance to chew over the edible dormouse – University of Reading

A dormouse is not most people's idea of a tasty snack, but the edible dormouse - which is still hunted for food in some Mediterranean countries - will be the subject of a public lecture at the University of Reading. Esteemed zoologist Dr Pat Morris, who was Senior Lecturer in Zoology at Royal Holloway, University of London, before taking early retirement in 2002, is giving the lecture organised by the Institute of Biology. Dr Morris, whose main interest is mammals, particularly hedgehogs and dormice, will discuss his recent and ongoing research on the edible dormouse and describe the general biology of the animal, here and on the Continent. The edible dormouse was introduced into Britain in 1902. Since then it has become a significant pest but has not yet spread far beyond the Chilterns. It causes damage to plantation trees and also gets into people's houses and has become quite a nuisance there. It has the dubious and confusing status of being a legally protected animal, yet also a pest and legally defined alien. It hibernates for over half the year and has an extraordinary breeding biology, apparently linked to the flowering and fruiting of beech trees. It is eaten in some Mediterranean countries but is not widely consumed in Britain. The lecture begins at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 18 November in the Plant Sciences Building at the University's Whiteknights campus. Refreshments will be available beforehand, but there will be no dormice on the menu. end Notes for editors: Lecture: The Edible Dormouse Date: Tuesday, 18 November 2003 Time: 19.00 Refreshments 19.30 Lecture Venue: Plant Sciences Building, University of Reading Speaker: Dr Pat Morris For further information, please contact Craig Hillsley, Press Officer, University of Reading on (0118) 378 8005 or email: c.hillsley@reading.ac.uk