It is found mostly in mountainous areas of southern Europe, but extends north into parts of Scandinavia and Britain.

It facilitates the spread of tick-borne encephalitis to humans and is a reservoir species for the Dobrava virus, a hantavirus that is responsible for causing haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

[4] The adult head and body length is 3.5 to 5.25 inches (89–133 mm) with a tail about as long again, and the weight varies between 1 and 1.5 ounces (28–43 g).

This mouse occurs in Great Britain but not in Ireland, and it is also absent from a number of Mediterranean islands.

In Asia, its range extends eastward to the Ural Mountains and it is also found in Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

It is active on the ground and in the tree canopy and has a home range rather smaller than half a hectare.

Breeding takes place at any time between February and October with successive pregnancies occurring at short intervals.

The gestation period is about twenty six days and females can remate while still feeding the previous litter.

It can leap to evade attackers and the skin of its tail is readily detachable and slides off if grasped by a predator.