Abstract
The paper presents a proposal of methods for monitoring the Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens, belonging to the family Soricidae. This species has a wide range in Poland, although it has never been the subject of a nationwide survey. Water shrew has a sporadic and localised occurrence and little is known about its habitat requirements and population dynamics. Although there is no documented proof of population decline, there is concern that the species may be vulnerable to declines in abundance and occurrence as a result of habitat loss and pollution as it is closely associated with aquatic environment. The proposed method of population status assessment is based on estimating the number of specimen observed at selected monitoring sites by the capture-mark-recapture (CMR) method and an additional method of analysing owl pellets to establish the presence and abundance of the species in the area. Moreover, indicators assessing the condition of the habitat, such as presence of preferred water bodies, share of shoreline vegetation, slope of the shore and availability of shelters have been proposed. Regular monitoring can contribute to the recognition of potential changes in water shrew’s population dynamics.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
