Long lost species

Rare mouse moves into Salzburg Zoo

The Bavarian short-eared vole is a rare species.(Bild: Zoo Salzburg/Angelika Köppl)

Two small, rare voles are moving into Salzburg Zoo. First discovered in Upper Bavaria in 1962, there was no trace of the wild mouse species for decades. Now it will soon be at home in Salzburg-Hellbrunn...

It is only about 10 centimetres long, weighs up to 28 grams and has tiny little eyes and auricles hidden in its fur. We are talking about the extremely rare Bavarian short-eared mouse. First discovered near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1962, it was considered lost for decades. It was not until 2001 that it was found again. Now two of the rare, small short-eared mice are moving into Salzburg Zoo.

But the search for the Bavarian short-eared mouse continued. In the fall of 2023, after evaluating one and a half million images from wildlife cameras, experts tracked down the small rodents. After more than 60 years, a specimen was caught alive near Mittenwald. According to the Bavarian Environment Agency, the short-eared vole is one of the rarest mammals in the world.

The Bavarian short-eared vole is one of the rarest mammals in the world.(Bild: Zoo Salzburg/Angelika Köppl)

"Even small animals are worth protecting"
"Our two Bavarian short-eared mice were born in the Innsbruck Alpine Zoo. They were bred there for the first time," says Zoo Director Sabine Grebner. With the aim of building up a conservation population, offspring were first given to two zoos in Germany and now to two in Austria, including Salzburg Zoo.

"Many people know that the snow leopard, for example, is endangered, but most people have never even heard the name Bavarian short-eared mouse," emphasizes Grebner. "For the preservation of biodiversity, however, the little ones are just as worthy of protection as the big ones, which is why we are very proud to be involved in this project."

It is not yet clear when visitors will be able to see the rare voles. "Initially, the focus is clearly on breeding the rare species of mouse," says Grebner.