IVth International Conference on Dormice (Rodentia, Gliridae)

DORMOUSE CLUB "KRIM" - OLD TRADITION IN A NEW FORM

Kryštufek, B.

Slovenian Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 290, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia, e-mail: boris.krystufek@uni-lj.si

In certain parts of Slovenia the fat dormouse Glis glis was a commodity species for centuries. Dormouse trapping, which was always taxed by landowners, was reported as early as 1240. For many people dormice provided meat, fat and extra income from the sale of skins. This tradition, albeit in a modified form, has survived into our days. Economic motivation is no longer important and dormouse trapping simply reflects an attitude of people towards forests and nature. The fat dormouse is treated as a game species in Slovenia. Trapping is free in the period starting from September 25, and people interested in this kind of activity are organised into dormouse clubs. There are six such clubs in Slovenia; the club "Krim", established in 1978 is one of the oldest. Although it started as a very local organisation, it now contains members (120 in total) from throught Slovenia; its members are of both sexes and of very different ages and academic and social backgrounds. The club owns a meeting hut and a dormouse exhibitions under construction. The main tasks of the club are to keep going the hunting tradition, to preserve its material (traps, dormouse products etc.) and to develop sustainable trapping. Members also participate in research on the biology of the fat dormouse.

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