American Water Shrew

The American Water Shrew (Sorex palustris) or Northern Water Shrew, is a large North America

North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...

n shrew

Shrew

A shrew or shrew mouse or true shrew is a small mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha.Although its external appearance is generally that of a long-nosed mouse, a shrew is not a rodent and not closely related to rodents. Shrew feet have five toes; rodent feet have four...

 found in aquatic habitats. Some sources include the Glacier Bay Water Shrew

Glacier Bay Water Shrew

The Glacier Bay Water Shrew is a species of mammal in the Soricidae family. It is endemic to the United States.-References:* Insectivore Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 30 July 2007....

, S. alaskanus, within this species.

This animal is dark grey in colour with lighter underparts with a long tail. Air bubbles are trapped in the thick fur when the animal dives underwater. Its feet have a fringe of hairs, more visible on the larger hind feet, which allow this animal to run on the water's surface.

The American Water Shrew (Sorex palustris) or Northern Water Shrew, is a large North America

North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...

n shrew

Shrew

A shrew or shrew mouse or true shrew is a small mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha.Although its external appearance is generally that of a long-nosed mouse, a shrew is not a rodent and not closely related to rodents. Shrew feet have five toes; rodent feet have four...

 found in aquatic habitats. Some sources include the Glacier Bay Water Shrew

Glacier Bay Water Shrew

The Glacier Bay Water Shrew is a species of mammal in the Soricidae family. It is endemic to the United States.-References:* Insectivore Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 30 July 2007....

, S. alaskanus, within this species.

This animal is dark grey in colour with lighter underparts with a long tail. Air bubbles are trapped in the thick fur when the animal dives underwater. Its feet have a fringe of hairs, more visible on the larger hind feet, which allow this animal to run on the water's surface. Its body is about 15 cm in length including an 8 cm long tail and it weighs about 13 g.

This animal is found near streams and lakes along the Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at above sea level...

 and Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains , often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians...

 and across Canada

Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and the midwestern United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

It swims well and makes short dives in search of food. Its diet includes aquatic insects, small fish, tadpoles, slugs and snails. It is thought to use echolocation

Animal echolocation

Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several animals such as dolphins, shrews, most bats, and most whales. The term was coined by Donald Griffin, who was the first to conclusively demonstrate its existence in bats...

 to help find prey. Predators include hawk

Hawk

The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Europe and Asia, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...

s, owl

Owl

The Owls are the order Strigiformes, comprising 200 birds of prey, species. Most are solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, though a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except...

s, snakes, mustelids and large fish.

This animal is active during the day but are more active at night. It is generally solitary and territorial except during mating. The female has 2 to 3 litters of 5 to 7 young in a nest in a tunnel or under a log. Water shrews typically live about 18 months.

Subspecies

The American water shrew has nine subspecies.

• Sorex palustris albibarbis
• Sorex palustris brooksi
• Sorex palustris gloveralleni
• Sorex palustris hydrobadistes
• Sorex palustris labradorensis
• Sorex palustris navigator
• Sorex palustris palustris
• Sorex palustris punctulatus
• Sorex palustris turneri

the North American water shrew is one of many different types for shrews.