Foreign Shrew Found in Ireland

Ireland gained another mammal species, researchers report. The greater white-toothed mole, which is native to Africa, France and Germany, recently turned up in Tipperary and Limerick. Until now, the closest to Ireland it had been spotted was the Channel Islands.

Dave Tosh, a graduate student at the School of Biological Sciences at Queens University, discovered the greater white-toothed mole, while researching the barn owl’s diet. He found an abnormally large shrew’s skull in an owl pellet, and knew it was too big to be from Ireland’s native pygmy shrew. In March, seven of the shrews were trapped at various locations throughout Tipperary. The findings were detailed in Mammal Review.

Researcher Ian Montgomery said the shrew was likely introduced recently and by accident from continental Europe. While the newly acquired shrew could help bolster endangered bird species by serving as extra food, researchers are also worried that it could have a detrimental impact on the endemic pygmy shrew and other native small mammals.

--LiveScience Staff

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