Wildlife

Wild Common Shrew UK Ecology and Welfare

Common shrews have extremely high metabolic rates making them uniquely vulnerable to food shortage and making welfare considerations time-critical.

Key Facts

Common shrews must eat every 2-3 hours or die from starvation
They eat their own body weight in invertebrates daily
Garden pesticides reduce invertebrate prey availability critically affecting shrews
Shrews are frequently caught but rarely eaten by cats, dying of shock
Cold winters significantly reduce invertebrate prey and shrew survival

Welfare Considerations

Shrew welfare is acutely vulnerable to invertebrate prey availability. Pesticide use in gardens creates rapid starvation risk. Cat-caught shrews die from shock even without serious physical injury. Garden management reducing pesticide use and maintaining invertebrate-rich habitat directly protects shrew welfare.

What You Can Do

Reduce pesticide use in gardens to protect invertebrate prey for shrews
If a cat brings in a shrew unharmed, place it in a warm box with high-protein food
Maintain log piles and leaf litter as invertebrate habitat in gardens