Yellow-necked mouse

The yellow-necked mouse is a small woodland rodent with a golden collar of fur, found across southern Europe and as far north as Scandinavia. Unlike its cousin the wood mouse, it sports bigger ears and a taste for climbing trees. Occasionally, it sneaks into houses to escape the winter cold.

• Identified as a separate species in 1894 after years of confusion with wood mice.
• Grows to about 100 mm long and sometimes spends winters in human homes.
• Carries viruses like tick-borne encephalitis and the Dobrava hantavirus.