Species Focus - Greater White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula)

For the past 10 years I have been recording the small mammal population of a private woodland adjacent to my cottage incorporating trail cameras in a Mostela small mammal box and tunnel box. Both boxes are situated by an old moss and ivy encrusted dry stone wall. I regularly capture video footage of bank and field vole, wood mouse, the occasional house mouse plus pygmy, common and water shrew. On the 25th June 2023 I captured footage of what I believed could possibly be a Greater White-toothed shrew.

The footage was submitted to the Mammal Society who initially confirmed that it was indeed a Greater White-toothed shrew but sought a second opinion. The second opinion could not commit 100% hence a question mark over the record.

The Greater White-toothed shrew is not native to Britain but recorded in the Channel Islands with the first mainland record being in Sunderland. I believe that they are a much under recorded species and could be more widespread than first thought and as such a species to look out for. For more information check out the Mammal Society webpage.