Researchers rediscover rare water shrew in Ethiopia

An Ethiopian and Czech research team rediscovered a rare water shrew from the Nilopegamys genus in the Yayu Biosphere Reserve in southwest Ethiopia.

The team included specialists from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. This discovery marks the first time the animal has been recorded in nearly 100 years. The Nilopegamys water shrew is a mammal adapted to aquatic environments.

It possesses wide hind feet that act like paddles and dense fur that helps it stay afloat while hunting. Researchers believe the animal feeds on insects and possibly fish, noting its large brain and flattened snout as tools for detecting aquatic invertebrates. The team captured the specimen using a trap containing peanut butter. The discovery occurred in a transition zone between protected forest and human-occupied agricultural land.

Mengistu Wale of the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute says the find proves the importance of understanding the species' range and conservation needs. While the presence of the shrew near humans suggests it might be less threatened by development than previously thought, the surrounding area is rapidly changing into livestock grazing land. Future research will focus on the genetics, ecology, and potential diseases of the shrew.

Alena Fornůsková of the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences noted that while small mammals are well studied in Ethiopia, this rediscovery shows that new surprises can still occur after decades of research.