Information from Omniva
Translation Liis
The stamp in the series “Estonian fauna“ was released on August 25th. A birch mouse is shown on it.
The whole series of fifteen stamps is designed by Sándor Stern.
The birch mouse (Sicista betulina) is the size of a small mouse and a rodent belonging to the Dipodids or jumping mice family. Its characteristic features are the black streak on the back and the tail that is much longer than the body.
Birch mice are omnivores, eating fruits and seeds of plants but also insects and larva.
They hibernate from September until May. On waking up in spring they only weigh about 8 grams but until autumn they store plenty of fat reserves, and weigh nearly 15 grams.
The birch mouse breeds once a year and the litter usually has four to six young.
Birch mice prefer habitats with dense and high vegetation in woods, meadows or the surroundings of old farms. They often climb on higher herbs and shrubs.
The birch mouse, that occurs on the Estonian mainland, is included as a rare but little investigated species in the EU Habitats Directive Annex V and in Category III of protected species in Estonia.
The stamp series showing Estonian mammals started in 2002 and the stamps, in order of publication, have shown the boar, ringed seal, wolf, beaver, badger, brown long-eared bat, brown bear, garden dormouse, brown or European hare, roe deer, least weasel, hedgehog, otter and on the recently issued stamp, the birch mouse.
