Pacific water shrew disappearing from Lower Mainland

A recovery strategy is being drawn up for thecritically imperilled Pacific water shrew, a small, elusive creature whose chief habitat is areas of the Lower Mainland near small streams or rivers commonly known as riparian zones.

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The proposed federal strategy to save the shrewwas released last month, and outlines the need forpopulation counts and habitat measurements through the next three years in order to try and halt further population loss over the next 10 years.

The provincial government has already pledged to protect shrews on Crown land and torequireconservation measures on private lands.

The Pacific water shrewmoves slowly on very short legs and its Canadian habitat is mainly limited to areas in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.

Conservationists says human destruction or alteration of the tiny mammal's habitat candestroy its sources of food and leaveit with no cover, makingit easy prey for birds and other predators.

Though the shrew, also known as the marsh shrew,is ranked as "apparently secure" in the United States, where its range extends to northern California, the Canadian government lists the Pacific water shrew as "critically imperilled" in its Canadian range, and B.C. lists it as "imperilled to critically imperilled."

23areas of critical habitat

B.C. habitat identified as critical for the Pacific water shrew's includes:

Burnaby Lake

Thunderbird Creek, Squamish

Bear Island, Seymour Reservoir

River Road and 80th Street, Delta

North Hoy Creek, Coquitlam

Widgeon Creek, Coquitlam

MacIntyre Creek, Coquitlam

Fraser Heights and Highway 1, Surrey

Fraser Heights and S. Perimeter Road, Surrey

Highway 10, B.C., Surrey

Fergus Creek, White Rock

Aldergrove

Davis Creek, Fraser Valley Electoral Area F

Matsqui

South Clayburn and Stoney Creeks, Abbotsford

Fin Creek,Fraser Valley Electoral Area E

Smith Falls, Fraser Valley Electoral Area E

Harrison Lake - Wolf Lake, Fraser Valley Electoral Area C

Elk River, Chilliwack

Miami Slough, Harrison Hot Springs & Agasssiz, B.C.

Chiliwack ViewRoad

Alouette River Golden Pond

Cheam Wetland, Fraser Valley Electoral Area D

Consultthe federal recoverystrategy report for detailed maps outlining the boundaries of the above23 habitat areas.

On mobile? Click here to read the federal report