More about dormice

Several weeks ago I posted a few lines about edible dormice (genus glis glis) and how although legally protected they are an absolute nuisance should one decide to take up residence with you. This is, briefly, translated from our local newspaper:


MAN KILLED BY DORMOUSE

Late yesterday afternoon a resident Dutchman, aged 53, was found dead by his wife at their home in Lot-et Garonne. They had been troubled by a dormouse that had decided to live in their roof space and decided that it must go as it was keeping them awake at night. The deceased had tried for several days and by various means to persuade the unwanted house guest to leave without success. Yesterday afternoon he began searching again for the creature, eventually trapping it an unused bedroom where he kept a shotgun. He presumably did not want to shoot the creature, after all they are not very large and also at close range a shotgun can cause much damage.

His choice of action was, not unreasonably, to bludgeon said dormouse with the butt of the shotgun. Unfortunately as he did so the shock of hitting the dormouse and the floor triggered the shotgun to off with the discharge wounding him in the stomach, from which he shortly died. The dormouse was also found to be deceased. The gendarmerie are treating this incident as a case of accidental death.