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Dieren en planten

Insectivores   Shrew family   Greater white-toothed shrew   Pygmy shrew   Common shrew   European water shrew   
  • Dut: huisspitsmuis
  • Eng: (greater) white-toothed shrew, (ouse shrew)
  • Fre: musaraigne musette
  • Ger: Hausspitzmaus
  • Lat: Crocidura russula
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, Rasbak, via www.flickr.com

Greater white-toothed shrew

Greater white-toothed shrews like to live close to where people live. They even try to make their nests in people's homes. Although they eat mostly insects and wood louse, you certainly shouldn't welcome these creatures into your house. Their nests smell terrible! Greater white-toothed shrews are mostly found in the Netherlands along the coast. In the past 30 years, they have spread out to the northwest. They are now also living on Texel, Ameland, Schiermonnikoog and Borkum.

On Texel


In the summer of 2008, it became obvious that the greater white-toothed shrew had definitely established a population on Texel. It had already been reported on the island in 2006, but that was the only observation for a long time. The greater white-toothed shrew competes with the European water shrew, which is an original inhabitant of Texel. The greater white-toothed shrew probably reached the island among a load of hay or reed.