Best time to see: all year
Key facts
Underground tunneler most often recognised by the 'hills' left behind
Habitat: mostly grassland, sometimes deciduous woods
Widespread across most of Europe except Ireland, extreme north and extreme south
Recognition
Velvety grey-black fur, pointed pink snout and massive shovel-like fore-paws; up to 16 cm
Lives mostly underground, digging extensive networks of tunnels in its hunt for food
Feeds on worms and other invertebrates, sometimes storing immobilised prey for later
Lifecycle
Nest of grasses inside a larger mound or 'fortress'
Usually 1 litter per year in summer, of 3 or 4 young
Moves out of low-lying meadows in winter to avoid flooding
© Leslie Borg