‘Never-seen-before' creature found in Brit's garden for the first time & it looks like a famous striped sweet
The creature, a pygmy shrew, was discovered near St Austell, Cornwall, by Anita McMillan while she was out walking.
6
6
6
The pygmy shrew, which weighs no more than a penny at just 2.4 to 6.1 grams, is now considered the smallest land mammal in the UK.
While pygmy shrews are widespread across the country with an estimated population of several million, one with these unique markings has never been seen here before.
This particular shrew has a rare genetic mutation that causes white stripes or patches to appear in its fur – a condition known as partial albinism or leucism.
Unusual markings
There are an estimated 8,600,000 pygmy shrews in Great Britain, but this one is extremely unusual because of it's colouring.
Normally, pygmy shrews have grey-brown fur on top and a grey underside, but this one had a distinctive striped look that resembled a traditional sweet.
In Britain, albinism or leucism in shrews is very rare and usually only seen in the common shrew, not the pygmy variety.
Anita, who is the sister of top British big cat tracker Rhoda Watkins, said: "I thought it was unusual with the markings. It seemed happy to play in the leaves in the open for so long.
"As I was a distance away with the zoom lens, it wasn't aware of me and kept busy in the leaves.
"It wasn't until I shared the picture with my sister that I realised it was very special.
"She is into wildlife tracking and prompted me to contact the Cornwall Mammal Group for an identification."
Experts comment
Matt Larsen-Daw, CEO of the Mammal Society, said: 'As far as we know, this is the first pygmy shrew with this distinctive patterning ever recorded in the British Isles.
'Pygmy shrews are an important part of our ecosystems.
They eat over 250 prey items in a single day – up to 125 per cent of their body weight.'
The pygmy shrew may be small, but this rare striped example is making a big impression among wildlife experts.
6
6
6
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Telegraph
Dog walkers warned of deadly algae risk during heatwave
Dog owners have been warned to keep their pets away from lakes and rivers this summer amid a rise in toxic blue-green algal blooms. Government officials have seen a high number of so-called blue-green algal blooms around the UK this year as a result of the hot and dry weather. These events occur when thriving colonies of bacteria use the warmth and sunlight to reproduce rapidly. They create a colourful scum on the water, which if ingested can make humans ill and kill animals, with dogs particularly susceptible to the toxins. Officials and animal welfare experts have urged caution this summer with people encouraged to keep themselves, children and pets away from plagued rivers and lakes. Algal blooms have become more common since 2015 because of climate change, experts say. Charlie Matthias, the senior veterinary surgeon at Dogs Trust, told The Telegraph: 'As temperatures continue to soar and water levels drop, there is a potential for an increase in blue-green algae. 'Blue-green algae can make your dog very sick and, in some cases, prove fatal if ingested even in small quantities. 'We're urging all dog owners to avoid letting their dogs swim in or drink from lakes or rivers that look green, scummy, have surface foam or have warning signs nearby. 'Blue-green algae is not always easy to spot, so if in doubt, don't let your dogs swim in or drink from the water.' Blue-green algal blooms form when nutrient-rich water, often enriched by chemicals from farms and warm weather, cause bacteria called cyanobacteria to grow rapidly. Still and slow-moving water are prone to these blooms which emerge quickly following prolonged exposure to sunlight and warm temperatures. They often persist for several months once formed and until colder weather arrives. Authorities are expecting the issue to endure for several months yet. The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) runs a 'Bloomin' Algae' project where the public send in images of suspected toxic blooms and experts determine if it is. Data show that half of the about 200 submissions this year are blue-green algal blooms, with a further 34 being 'plausible'. The blooms have been found across the UK from Norfolk and Essex to Birmingham and the Lake District and submissions show that some dogs have fallen ill for several days after going for a swim. Confirmed cases were also sent in by people swimming or paddleboarding in affected bodies of water. Once a bloom is confirmed landowners are obliged to put up signs warning the public. Symptoms of blue-green algae poisoning in dogs can appear within minutes and include vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, muscle tremors, seizures, breathing difficulties, and collapse. Dogs should be taken to a vet immediately as there is no antidote and the cognition can be fatal as the toxins attack the liver and neurological system. If caught early enough a vet can flush the toxins out of the system. Dr Linda May, a freshwater ecologist from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said: 'Dogs are particularly at risk, because they are susceptible to the toxins that some algal blooms release into the water. 'Smaller dogs only need to consume a small quantity to be at high risk of death. So please, take your dog to a vet immediately if they seem unwell after being in contaminated water.' Anna Ewers Clark, a veterinary standards lead at national pet charity Blue Cross, added: 'Although there is no specific antidote, supportive treatment is essential. These toxins are very dangerous and can kill, sadly even with treatment.' She added: 'This is very concerning. Even small quantities of water or licking contaminated water off the coat can be dangerous.' An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'Blue-green algae, a naturally occurring environmental phenomenon, is more likely to appear during warm, settled, dry weather and can pose risks to both animals and humans. 'We urge the public to call our 24/7 incident hotline at 0800 80 70 60 if they suspect a bloom of blue-green algae in any rivers, streams, or lakes so our teams can collect and test samples to ensure warnings are in place.'
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Wasps are back this summer in the UK – a lot of them
John Horsley was gardening when he felt a wasp crawl down his T-shirt."That stung me a few times in the back," he says. "It wasn't a pleasant experience."Part of the British Pest Control Association, John is well-versed in the problems wasps can cause gate-crashing picnics or beer gardens on a summer's day, and building bothersome a downtick in wasp callouts in recent summers, his industry has been busier than usual tackling problems caused by wasps this year, he says. These can include large nests appearing earlier in the are currently still raising their young, but later in the summer they tend to congregate in public areas seeking a sugary snack before they die. So is this shaping up to be a summer of the wasp? "We don't have plagues of insects," Mr Horsley explains. "But it seems that every few years, wasps will have a strong year and that commonly coincides with particular weather patterns – this year it's been very warm and very dry – it's been a very good year for them."The Met Office says we have had the warmest spring in more than 50 years. Last year, the UK had its coolest summer for nine of the world's leading wasp experts, Prof Seirian Sumner of University College London, cautions that scientific data on wasp numbers will not be released for a her gut feeling is that "all the signs are, based on the weather and other insect populations, it is going to be a good year for wasps". The UK has about 9,000 species of wasps - most of them solitary, meaning they don't live in large colonies and are generally not a nuisance to a small number are social wasps, such as the common wasp, Vespula vulgaris, which is most common for interacting with humans. According to a 2021 YouGov poll, they are the second most disliked insect in the UK, after the Prof Sumner and other wasp experts point out that wasps are not all bad."They are really important parts of the ecosystem – they're apex predators," she says."Take a top predator out of any system – like the lion out of Serengeti – it has knock-on effects in the prey populations that will then go unchecked by their predator."And wasps are free, natural pest controllers – so they are doing jobs in our gardens, in our wild landscapes, in our farming landscapes. They are helping keep pests at bay." Living alongside wasps - without being stung Nikki Banfield, of the insect charity Buglife, says we need to look after wasps."A lot of people don't like wasps, they class them as angry bees, but they have a really valid purpose in the natural world," she that wider natural world, recent studies show widespread declines in global insect populations, with some insect species being pushed towards loss is linked to intensive agriculture, pesticides and climate change, with far-reaching consequences for the many birds, amphibians, bats and reptiles that rely on insects for the common wasp appears to be bucking this trend – its population remaining stable over the past 100 years – along with houseflies, cockroaches and the European hornet, which is increasing across the UK and moving northward as the climate warms. Sightings of the invading Asian or yellow-legged hornet, which arrived in the UK in 2016, are also on the rise.And after a poor year for butterflies in 2024, naturalists say many common species, such as the Large White, also appear to be flourishing this summer.Ladybirds too, seem to be enjoying the warmer temperatures, according to luckily for the ecosystem – but perhaps unluckily for our picnics – wasps appear to be thriving here in the UK. How can we live alongside each other happily then?Ms Banfield suggests we leave something sweet, such as a small cap of jam or orange juice, a short distance from the picnic area to distract the practical tips include not screaming, flapping your arms or swatting at wasps, as this will agitate them and make them more stings can pose a public health risk – they can cause anaphylactic shock - Mr Horsley points out, so he has a word of advice."Don't disturb them. Try and stay away from them where possible, and, if it needs to be treated then speak to a professional," he says.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Share your pictures of summer butterfly sightings
Britain is expecting a butterfly bounceback after last summer's dramatic decline with this year's launch of the world's biggest insect survey, the Big Butterfly Count. We would like to see your pictures of butterfly sightings in recent months. Have you come across many different species? You can share your sightings using this form. Please include as much detail as possible. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first.
