Eurasian Pygmy Shrew (Sorex minutus)

Widely distributed throughout Britain and it’s offshore islands (with the exception of Shetland, Scilly Isles and the Channel Islands), Eurasian pygmy shrew numbers are thought to be around 8.6 million in Great Britain. They are also the only known shrew species in Ireland. 

The Eurasian pygmy shrew inhabits a variety of environments, favouring areas with dense vegetation including grasslands and woodlands. As a result of their exceptionally high metabolic rate, pygmy shrews require frequent feeding to survive.

While visually resembling the Eurasian shrew, the pygmy shrew is generally paler in colour and features a distinctive bi-coloured tail that is longer and more hairy.

These animals are solitary by nature, actively defending their territories, and they remain active throughout the year.

• A dropping 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.
• Often an identified species in bat dropping analysis as well as through biological analysis.
• Samples can be taken using a biological sampling kit/bat dropping collection kit or using your own secure containers and resources.