water shrew facts

The likely reasons for any decline in their numbers are habitat loss and water pollution. Amazing Facts About the Shrew. The heart of the masked shrew, Sorex cinereus, beats 800 times a minute, considerably faster than that of the hummingbird. Some of them live both on the ground and on the trees. Entrances are above or below water and tunnels are made narrow to squeeze water from the animals fur. There are several species of shrew that are at home in water.

They are still numerous in many sites where long-term studies have been conducted. The water shrew is our largest shrew. Water shrew, any of 12 species of amphibious shrews that have a broad, fleshy muzzle, large chest, and long hind legs and digits. As the name suggests, it lives almost entirely in wetland habitats, such as streams, ponds, fens and reedbeds. It can live at least 2 miles away from water but usually inhabits stream banks in which it burrows extensively. In smaller species, these hairs allow the shrews to run across the surface of the water for short distances, supported by the surface tension.

The water shrew is particularly adapted to aquatic habits.

It spends much of its time hunting for invertebrates and even swimming underwater to catch caddisfly and mayfly larvae. They have a higher metabolic rate than any other animal. Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens) Conservation Status Because water shrews are never very abundant, it is difficult to tell if their populations are under threat.

They use all four feet to swim, but most of the propulsive force comes from the hind feet.

Most will starve to death if deprived of food for half a day. Smallest mammal on the planet is Etruscan Shrew which reaches 1.3 inches in length and 0.07 ounces in weight. All of these have silky fur that repels water, long tails and fringes of stiff hairs along the edges of their feet, toes, fingers and tails that help them swim.

Tibetan Water Shrew.

Eurasian Water Shrew Behaviour and Diet. Most shrews reach between 2.5 and 9.5 inches in length and weigh of up to 3.5 ounces.

The Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens), known in the United Kingdom as the water shrew, is a relatively large shrew, up to 10 cm (4 in) long, with a tail up to three-quarters as long again.It has short, dark fur, often with a few white tufts, a white belly, and a few stiff hairs around the feet and tail. Most shrews are terrestrial animals. Although it doesn't have webbed feet, stiff hairs on its back feet and tail aid swimming. Interesting Shrew Facts: Shrews vary in size. Most water shrews live in montane habitats and forage in clear, cold streams and small rivers. It lives close to fresh water, hunting aquatic prey in the water and nearby.


Shrews must eat 80-90 % of their own body weight in food daily.


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