the skin of its tail is readily detachable and slides off if grasped by a predator. Research It has been found that the yellow-necked mouse can transmit the virus causing tick-borne encephalitis while being immune to the virus itself. It has also been found that the yellow-necked mouse together with the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) are the natural reservoir for an Orthohantavirus, the Dobrava virus, which causes a severe form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. Status The yellow-necked mouse has a very wide range and is common in suitable habitat within that range. In Eastern Europe, densities of up to a hundred individuals per hectare have been recorded. The population is stable and this species faces no specific threats so the IUCN has listed it as being of "Least Concern" in its Red List of Threatened Species. References Apodemus Rodents of Europe Mammals described in 1834