Saving an Eastern Biodiversity Heritage of the Steppes, the Critically Endangered Hungarian Birch Mouse – From Habitat Protection to Genomic Insights

The Hungarian birch mouse is a living relic of the Eurasian steppes – an evolutionary link to the East found only in the Pannonian Basin, making this species a true ‘hungaricum’. Once widespread, this cute small mammal now survives at a single site in the picturesque steppe landscapes of Hungary’s Bükk National Park. Join us on an enchanting journey to the steppe landscape of ‘Borsodi-Mezőség’ Landscape Protection area, where Hungarian scientists and conservationists are racing to safeguard this last population through habitat surveys, population monitoring, and cutting-edge genomic research. Participants will discover what is at stake, why it matters, and how innovative tools such as whole-genome sequencing are opening exciting new possibilities for conservation. Through the story of this charming yet imperilled species, the talk highlights the urgent global challenge of biodiversity loss and shows how science and conservation can work hand in hand to protect our shared natural heritage.

Presented by Dr Gábor Sramkó and Virág Nyíri (University of Debrecen and HUN-REN TKI)