Shrews
Introduction
Shrews are a type of Insectivora. A type of mammal which hunts insects and other small animals. These also provide food for larger predators and omnivores.
A Train of Shrews / Trein met spitsmuizen
A 46 second video of shrews traveling together.
Tiny Water Shrews Are the "Cheetahs of the Wetlands"
A 3:13 minute video shows how water shrews hunt under water with their unique ability to sniff prey under the surface.
Habitats
Shrews can be found in:
Deserts
Forest
Coniferous
Deciduous
Tropical
Grassland
Arid
Humid
Hedgerows
Savannas
Scrubland
Tundra
Water shrews can be found along the banks of:
Drainage Ditches
Fens
Ponds
Reed Beds
Rivers
Streams
As well as in:
Grasslands
Hedgerows
Scrub
Water Cress Beds
Wetlands
Woodlands
Regions
Shrews have been recorded in Africa and Eurasia, throughout North America, down to northwestern South America, as wells as on island groups east of mainland Asia to the Aru Islands on the Australian continental shelf.
Asian house shrews have been introduced to parts of Arabia, Africa, Madagascar and some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. - Britannica: Shrew
Diet
"Active all year, day or night, short-tailed shrews forage in leaf litter and fallen grass for invertebrates (primarily earthworms, slugs, snails, and insects), and they pursue small salamanders, reptiles, and mice. Their saliva contains a neurotoxin and a hemotoxin that are introduced into a wound by chewing. These toxins are used primarily to immobilize mice and invertebrates, especially snails, which are stored for later use. Their diet also includes roots, beechnuts, berries, sunflower seeds, and fungi. Voracious eaters, short-tailed shrews consume about half their weight each day and must also drink frequently." - Britannica: Shrew
Tools & Apps
Europe
UK
Mammal Mapper "is a free app where you can record signs and sightings of mammals in the UK. Mammals can be recorded along a route whilst you’re walking, running, cycling or even a passenger in a car, or as one-off sightings, for example a hedgehog in your garden."
Organizations
Europe
UK
Mammal Society "a UK based charity devoted to the study and conservation of the mammals of the British Isles. We aim to raise awareness of the issues mammals face and share our scientific research so they can be best protected in the future. Although a small team we are mighty, and are dedicated to helping mammals across the nation."