Exploring the life of the Russian desman

The marshes around the Ural River in Kazakhstan are home to an unusual creature, the Russian desman. It’s an aquatic mole that seeks out overgrown wetlands and muddy river banks. Like most moles, it’s virtually blind, using the sensitive whiskers on its snout to feel its way about. And it’s perfectly adapted to it’s watery environment. With webbed feet and thick, waterproof fur, the desman moves easily between land and water. The long, flexible snout probes the mud for small insects and snails. Underwater, the snout acts as a snorkel and stirs up the silty sediments.

The Russian desman was hunted for centuries for its rich, thick fur. Although today it's protected, the wetlands on which it depends are being drained for agriculture at an alarming rate. The desman has brought up a water snail and skillfully extracts the animal from its shell. We still know remarkably little about the desman’s habits and lifestyle. The challenge will be to discover this curious creature’s needs before it's too late.