The UK is home to five different species of mice, four of which are native.
The fifth – the edible dormouse – was introduced to the UK in 1902, when several escaped from the private collection of the banker and zoologist Lord Walter Rothschild on his estate at Tring in Hertfordshire, which is now home to a division of the Natural History Museum.
The other species found in the UK are the wood mouse, yellow-necked mouse, harvest mouse, house mouse and hazel dormouse. There are millions of mice in the UK, but which is the most common?
Most common mouse in the UK
The wood mouse is believed to be the commonest mouse in the UK – and is the one you’re most likely to see in your garden. Also known as a field mouse (or a long-tailed field mouse), the wood mouse is common in all habitats, with dark brown hair and a long tail. It has big ears and a pointed muzzle. Wood mice eat fruit, seeds and invertebrates.
How many are there in the UK?
The Mammal Society Review of the Population and Conservation found that the current estimate for the number of wood mice in the UK is 39.6 million, with a fairly stable population.
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Top image: wood mouse. Credit: Getty
