Page 12 - World of Animals - Issue #39

HARVEST MOUSE

ADORABLE

ACROBATS

Often described as the monkeys of the rodent world,

harvest mice are amazing little gymnasts with the most
acrobatic of moves

Words David Crookes

I’m a survivor

How long can harvest mice survive in the wild?
It appears that the life of a harvest mouse
is one of haste. They leave the nest a er a

fortnight and they are able to breed around the
age of six weeks. Females become pregnant
time and time again, too, with as many as eight
litters in a year. But all of this is necessary;
not only are predators such as weasels,
owls and foxes ready to pounce on them, but
harvesting, adverse weather and the use of
pesticides pose a serious danger. Few harvest

mice survive their first winter and studies have
shown that 70 per cent perish a er six weeks.

They are helped to some degree by excellent
hearing and a great sense of balance but their
poor vision lets them down. Very few will
survive to 18 months.
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