Could you sleep for six months and still have plenty of energy when you wake up? The hazel dormouse does just that, spending much of the colder part of the year in hibernation.

This tiny golden-brown rodent spends the warmer months climbing through trees and hedgerows, eating flowers, insects, berries, and nuts before preparing for winter. Discover how a dormouse’s furry tail and large eyes help it navigate after dark, why autumn is a race to build up energy reserves, and how its long winter sleep helps it survive when food is scarce. You'll also find out why these little climbers need connected woodlands and hedgerows to thrive.

Teachers and parents, you can use this fact file to:

• Introduce an animal, wildlife, or life science unit
• Support nonfiction reading and vocabulary practice
• Explore animal adaptations, behaviors, and habitats
• Compare animals and the ecosystems they live in
• Practice finding and organizing information from nonfiction texts
• Prepare students for animal research projects or presentations (use our animal report templates!)
• Connect science learning to conservation and environmental issues
• Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)