Scientists have confirmed the first record of the taiga shrew (Sorex isodon) in Lithuania, marking a significant westward expansion of this rare boreal species into the Baltic region.
The specimen, collected near Vilnius in 2023, was initially mistaken for a common shrew but later identified through detailed skull and dental analysis. The discovery extends the known range of the species by and suggests that Lithuania’s wet, mixed forests, often shaped by beaver activity, provide suitable habitats for this mammal.
“This finding shows that even in well-studied regions, hidden biodiversity still exists,” said Dr. Linas Balčiauskas of the Nature Research Centre, who led the study. “It’s a reminder that careful reexamination of existing collections can reveal new species records.”
The study, “The First Record of Taiga Shrew in Lithuania,” is published in Animals (MDPI) and is available open access at https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15213088.
