General Information: The Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew is a tiny, mouse-sized mammal with a long snout and long tail. It eats insects and other invertebrates such as snails and worms. It is currently only found in 15 locations, mainly in small remnant patches of natural habitat along the margins of agricultural areas.
Category: Focal species
Surface Water Needs: Wetlands
Federal Listing Status: Endangered
State Listing Status: Species of Special Concern
Potential Conservation Actions:
- Management plans for wetlands and ponds
- Grazing plans
- Limit distance between riparian environments and upland areas
Fun Fact
Most predators (except owls) will not eat the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew because they don’t like how it smells.
Habitat
Buena Vista Lake ornate shrews like moist soil and dense vegetation, perfect conditions for its prey (insects and other invertebrates). The dense vegetation provides some protection from its predators, primarily owls, and includes features such as downed logs and branches.
Riparian forests
Wetlands
Forests
Scrublands
Disturbance and Stressors
Land uses requiring significant water use, such as urban development and agriculture, lower the water table, reduce their food source (insects and invertebrates), and remove vegetation cover. Water infrastructure, such as a canal, does not provide the riparian environment the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew needs. Pesticide or herbicide applications directly impact the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew. Effects of climate change, including prolonged droughts, will further limit habitat for the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew.
Agriculture
Urban development
Pesticides and contaminants
Habitat fragmentation
Sources: Barry and Shaffer 1994; Feaver 1971; Holland et al. 1990; Loredo et al. 1996; Thomson et al. 2016; Trenham and Shaffer 2001; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2014, 2017, and 2020
Photo credits: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service