A small, mysterious, and highly specialized mammal found in the fast-flowing mountain streams of the Pyrenees and northern Iberian Peninsula, including parts of Spain, Portugal, France, and Andorra. Though it looks a bit like a cross between a shrew and a mole, it actually belongs to its own unique branch of insectivorous mammals. The Pyrenean desman is semi-aquatic, nocturnal, and incredibly elusive, making it one of Europe’s most unusual and least-seen mammals.

One of the desman’s most distinctive features is its long, flexible trunk-like snout, which it uses to probe under rocks and in the mud for insects, larvae, small crustaceans, and other aquatic snacks. It also has webbed hind feet for swimming, dense waterproof fur, and a flattened, scaly tail that helps it steer like a little underwater torpedo. Its eyes are small and not very useful, but its sense of smell and touch are excellent, helping it navigate dark, rushing streams where it hunts mostly by feel.

This tiny creature is incredibly well adapted to its watery world. It prefers clean, oxygen-rich mountain streams with stony beds, where it can build burrows in the banks and forage safely at night. Its lifestyle is so specialized that it’s considered a bioindicator species, meaning its presence (or absence) can tell scientists a lot about the health of freshwater ecosystems. Unfortunately, this also makes it very vulnerable to environmental change, especially pollution, damming of rivers, habitat destruction, and invasive species like trout, which compete for food.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Andorra

2023

France

2023

Portugal

2023

Spain

2023