Sherman’s short-tailed shrew
Blarina shermani
Overall vulnerability:
Conservation status:
State ThreatenedGeneral Information
With a body length of about 4 inches, Sherman’s short-tailed shrew is larger than other species in Florida. This rodent has a small range limited to Collier and Lee counties in southwest Florida. Short-tailed shrews eat a diet of ants, beetle larvae and butterflies and typically have two annual breeding seasons, both between March and November.
Habitat Requirements
Sherman’s short-tailed shrews prefer dense herbaceous habits with a floor of damp soil and debris. Swamps, hydric hammocks and pinelands are common habitat types for this species.
Habitats:
Climate Impacts
Sherman’s short-tailed shrews are susceptible to sea level rise in their coastal range. Additionally, this species faces many of the same existing threats common to coastal species: habitat loss and degradation from development, barriers to migration, habitat disturbance from recreational use and high mortality from non-native predators.
More information about general climate impacts to species in Florida.
Vulnerability Assessment(s)
The overall vulnerability level was based on the following assessment(s):
Standardized Index of Vulnerability and Value Assessment
Vulnerability: Slightly to Moderately vulnerableThe primary factors contributing to vulnerability of the Sherman's short-tailed shrew are sea level rise and minimal habitat protection.
Adaptation Strategies
- Conservation of existing habitat will allow this shrew the best chance of recovering and maintaining a healthy population as climate change begins to accelerate. This includes controlling existing stressors, such as reducing populations of non-native predators.