Sorex palustris, water shrew

These small insectivores are about 164mm long with their tail being approximately 72mm of that total length. They are secretive animals venturing out of dense vegetation rarely during the day. Being primarily nocturnal, one might think that they have large eyes for seeing at night. This however is not the case. Rather, they have a keen sense of smell for sniffing out insects that make up the greatest portion of their diet. They are swift little creatures; and need to be in order to escape the many predators that seek them. They are competent swimmers and can remain underwater for an extended period of time while they hunt for food. They have the ability to scurry across the surface of the water aided by air bubbles that become trapped on their fur and between their toes.