Global News - April 2008

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New species of shrew found in Ireland

Mon 28 April 2008 17:00 UK — Europe,Other

Researchers in Ireland have discovered a rare shrew in the country which was only thought to be native to parts of Africa, France and Germany.

Dave Tosh, from Queens University, reported that he found the greater white-toothed shrew in Tipperary and Limerick while researching the diet of the barn owl in Ireland.

The researcher explained that he first identified the shrew after he was sent pellets (regurgitated food remains) from owls in Tipperary and Limerick to help with the study.

He explained: "It was amongst a batch that I was about to dry in an oven, that I noticed a very large shrew skull.

"Having looked at hundreds of pellets from Ireland already I knew that what I was looking at was very unusual as our native pygmy shrew is very small in comparison.

"I ended up looking through more and more pellets and discovered more and more of the strange shrew skulls."

As a result, a team were able to trap some live greater white-toothed shrews earlier this year.

Professor Ian Montgomery explained that it was very rare for a new species of mammal to be discovered in Ireland.

"Most species which occur in Ireland also occur in Britain but the nearest this species of shrew has been found is on the Channel Islands and the Scilly Isles," he added.

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