Water Shrew Neomys fodiens

Suffolk Priority Species

The Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens) is Britain’s largest shrew and the only British mammal with a venomous bite – used to immobilise invertebrate prey. It is associated with clean, well-vegetated waterways, pond margins, and fen habitats, where it hunts aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and amphibians. In Suffolk, it is recorded from river margins, ditches, and wetland habitats across the county, though its secretive habits mean it is often under-recorded. The Waveney Valley and coastal reedbeds are among the habitat types where it is most likely to be encountered. Maintaining clean water and dense bankside vegetation is important for this species. Image: Adobe Stock.

Find out more: The Mammal Society, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, iNaturalist