HOW TO SPOT A SHREW

Shrews are active during the day as well as night but are so quick during their perpetual hunt for food that you’ll only ever catch a fleeting glimpse of them. To identify small scurrying mammals, look at the eyes, snout and tail: a mouse has large eyes, a pointed snout and a long tail; a vole has small eyes, a rounded snout and a short tail; and shrews have small eyes, a very pointed snout and a short tail. It is against the law to trap a shrew without a licence but most Wildlife Trusts hold small-mammal-trapping events at least once a year so you can get close to them. Visit wildlifetrusts.org/whats-on/ search to find out about events near you. There are also options for urban dwellers hoping to encounter a shrew – in west London you can join Vole Patrol (including shrews) from 25 February to 1 May 2017 in Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon. Contact hpearce@wildlondon.org.uk; 020 8755 2339; wildlondon.org.uk/ vole-patrol-in-london.