Eurasian Water Shrew
Neomys fodiens
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Rare
- Observations
- 624
- Most observed in
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
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. It lives close to fresh water, hunting aquatic prey in the water and invertebrates nearby. Like many shrews, the water shrew has venomous saliva, making it one of the few venomous mammals. It lives a solitary life and is found throughout the northern part of Europe and Asia, from Britain to Korea.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Eurasian water shrew”.