With a body length between 4 and 6.4 centimeters, the Eurasian pygmy shrew is one of Europe’s smallest mammals. As its name suggests, the species is relatively widespread across much of Europe, with a range extending to Russia and the Ural Mountain range. Previously, the shrew had been observed at around 2,500 meters above sea level in Switzerland. The research group found three specimens of the species thanks to devices for monitoring high-altitude invertebrates, used within the framework of the Monitoring of Biodiversity in South Tyrol project and the GLORIA project. One of the three shrews was at an altitude of 3,060 meters near the border with Switzerland, while the other two were at 3,280 meters in Val Senales. All three were young individuals, suggesting they were not recent arrivals from lower altitudes but were likely born close to the area where they were found. The typical habitat of the pygmy shrew consists of moist environments such as forests, shrublands, and grasslands, where dense vegetation provides shelter and food. However, the alpine sites where these South Tyrolean specimens were found are deprived of vegetation. Instead, an abundance of rocks and boulders provides protective crevices and shelter from the elements. The researchers published this new altitudinal record for S. minutus in the scientific journal Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy. Chiara Paniccia, the lead author of the article, noted, “Studying the geographical and altitudinal distribution of the pygmy shrew has always been challenging. Additionally, high-altitude fauna and flora studies are quite rare. It is possible that the shrew was already present at similar altitudes but went unnoticed until our recent observation.” However, Paniccia explained that another factor might underlie the discovery: global warming. “It is well-documented that many plant and animal species are migrating to higher altitudes due to rising temperatures, which are particularly pronounced in the Alps. The presence of S. minutus above 3,000 meters could be yet another example of this phenomenon,” she stated. To confirm this, Paniccia emphasized the need for further studies, which could also help determine the shrew’s diet at such high elevations. For the analysis of the high-altitude pygmy shrew specimens, Eurac Research’s Institute for Alpine Environment collaborated with Eva Ladurner, a zoologist at the South Tyrol Museum of Natural History.

Link to the study: https://doi.org/10.4404/hystrix-00760-2024