The European edible dormouse is also called the fat dormouse and can hibernate for more than 11 months when food is scarce.
Its scientific name is Glis glis, and it lives across much of Europe and parts of western Asia. The “edible” name has a literal history: Romans regarded these rodents as a delicacy. They are the largest living dormice, with a squirrel-like body, gray-brown fur, and a long furry tail.
Edible dormice usually hibernate from roughly October to May, depending on local conditions. They survive this long fast by building substantial fat reserves before entering a sheltered underground or cave-like den. Their metabolism, body temperature, and breathing rate fall dramatically during torpor; breathing pauses can last up to an hour.
A common mix-up is assuming every dormouse has the same winter pattern. The unusually long, food-dependent hibernation is especially associated with the edible dormouse. In poor seed years, some individuals delay reproduction and remain dormant for over 11 months.