Hang tough: Brave little harvest mouse displays its acrobatic skills as he forages for food among its habitat of cereal and grassIt might be small but this little mouse is no 'wee timorous beastie' as it hangs by its flexible tale in a gymnastic attempt to look for food.
Even more amazing is that it's pulling off this feat almost BLIND as, despite it's big eyes, it can barely see.
The tiny creatures rely almost completely on hearing to find their way around and can pick up the smallest of vibrations from up to seven metres away.
The species is on the comeback after once being considered a near-threatened species.
The harvest mouse, or Micromys minutus, is native to Europe and Asia. It is typically found in fields of cereal crops, in reed beds and in other vegetation.
An adult may weigh as little as 4 grams and its diet mainly consists of seeds, insects and fruit. Their nests are cleverly and tightly constructed from grass.
Hair force one: This mouse finds his height a bit hair-raising all of a sudden
A gripping cereal: Mouse manages to locate some food among the cropsNoted 18th century naturalist Gilbert White was one of the first to formerly describe the species.
He said: 'They never enter into houses; are carried into ricks and barns with the sheaves; abound in harvest; and build their nests amidst the straws of the corn above the ground, and sometimes in thistles.
'They breed as many as eight at a litter, in a little round nest composed of the blades or grass or wheat.
Well-deserved nest: The creature's nests are small but skillfully woven and sturdy
Social climber: Preparing to clamber high in search of food once again'One of these nests I procured this autumn, most artificially platted, and composed of the blades of wheat; perfectly round, and about the size of a cricket-ball.
Wimbledon tennis balls have been recycled to create artificial nests for creatures since 2001 to help populations recover from eroding habitats.
source: dailymail
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