Details
Desmana moschata
Russian desman is a mammal associated with freshwater habitats. It is carnivorous and usually solitary. Limited range or population size makes protection and habitat management important.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Its range is represented here by the Palearctic, where it uses freshwater habitats. Mobile species may shift habitat use with season, breeding sites, or food availability.
Typical length 18-22 cm, weight 400 g-520 g. It has a small agile rodent-like build, with proportions shaped by its habitat and mode of movement.
It is mostly active at night and usually solitary. Spacing, group size, and visibility can change with season, feeding conditions, and breeding activity.
It is carnivorous. Food choice and foraging style are tied to life in freshwater habitats, so movements often follow available food resources.
As a mammal, it gives birth to live young, and the mother nurses them in cover or within the social group.
Recorded scientifically as Desmana moschata. Limited range or population size makes protection and habitat management important. In this guide, size, habitat, and activity pattern are useful first clues for recognition.
