A tiny shrew – that looks like humbug mint – has been seen in Britain for the first time.
They are now the smallest land mammal in the UK weighing between 2.4 and 6.1 grams – the same as a penny.
The pygmy shrew has a mutation which makes it resemble the traditional striped sweet.
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And their fur is usually grey-brown on top and grey on the underside.
Patches or stripes of white fur can appear in mammals when there is a localised absence of pigment – this is either called partial albinism or leucism.
In shrews, albinism and leucism are rarely recorded – and usually only in one of Britain’s other native shrew species, the common shrew.
The humbug shrew was found by Anita McMillan near St Austell, Cornwall, while out for a walk.
Anita is the sister of Rhoda Watkins – Britain’s top big cat tracker.
And Rhoda advised Anita to tell other experts about her find.
“I thought it was unusual with the markings,” Anita told, What’s The Jam.
“It seemed happy to play in the leaves in the open for so long.
“As I was a distance away with the zoom lens, it wasn’t aware of me and kept busy in the leaves.
“It wasn’t until I shared the picture with my sister that I realised it was very special.
“She is into wildlife tracking and prompted me to contact the Cornwall Mammal Group for an identification.”
Matt Larsen-Daw, CEO of the Mammal Society, said: “As far as we know, this is the first pygmy shrew with this distinctive patterning ever recorded in the British Isles.”
“Pygmy shrews are an important part of our ecosystems.
“They eat over 250 prey items in a single day – up to 125% of their body weight.”
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