Water Shrew

The water shrew is the largest species of shrew in the UK and is found on the mainland and larger islands. Absent from Ireland, the Scillies and the Channel Islands.

They predominantly inhabit wetland environments, such as streams, ponds, fens, and reedbeds. This species spends a significant portion of its time foraging for invertebrates, including diving underwater to capture caddisfly and mayfly larvae. While the water shrew lacks webbed feet, the stiff hairs on its hind feet and tail facilitate its swimming abilities. Water shrews reside in small burrows located along the banks of their aquatic habitats. They breed throughout the summer, typically producing between three and fifteen offspring per litter.

• A faecal sample with sufficient biological material to be used as a reserve is required in case the extraction is unsuccessful the first time: the fresher a sample is, the more likely the test will be able to extract viable DNA.
• Other viable sample types include fur/hair, tissue and blood.
• We are currently also in the early stages of developing a method for eDNA analysis of water samples for water shrew. *Please contact us for more information*