Rare Mammal Photographed for the First Time in California
For the first time, researchers have captured photos of the elusive Mount Lyell shrew, a tiny mammal native to the Sierra Nevada. Known for its pointy snout and grayish-brown fur, this shrew had gone unseen in the wild for over a century.
Three young researchers—Vishal Subramanyan, Prakrit Jain, and Harper Forbes—embarked on a field expedition in November near Lee Vining in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Armed with permits from California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, they set traps filled with mealworms and cat food to safely capture the shrews without harm. Their relentless effort paid off within two hours, and over three nights, they documented 15 shrews, including the Mount Lyell shrew.
The Mount Lyell shrew is one of California’s most under-studied mammals. Measuring only 9-10 centimeters and weighing 2-3 grams, it’s a challenging species to study due to its high metabolism—it can starve within two hours without food. The researchers worked tirelessly in freezing conditions, taking turns monitoring traps around the clock to keep the shrews alive.
The trio collected genetic samples and measurements, confirming their discovery with lab tests. The Mount Lyell shrew’s rarity has been compounded by climate change, which threatens to wipe out much of its habitat by the 2080s.
