Mammals 🦦
Mammals 🦦
Mammals are often among the most exciting sightings when visiting wetlands. The environment provides them with food sources and they often are the top predators of the local food webs. Polish wetlands are no different when it comes to mammal abundance however they are often protected due to habitat loss.
Some of the characteristic wetland mammals of Poland are described below!
European beaver. Source.
European beaver (Castor fiber) - the biggest rodent of Eurasia, reaching even 29kg in weight and 110cm in length! It is a very territorial, monogamous and nocturnal animal. It can stay underwater up to 15 minutes without surfacing. They are capable of cutting down trees having up to 1 meter in diameter which they use to build dams blocking the waterflow and creating new wetlands. It is partially protected because even though the population has been widely restored after its sharp decline, there is still serious threat due to poachers.
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) - it was brought to Europe from North America as an animal bred for fur. All of the wild muskrat population of Europe comes from a few individuals which escaped from a fur farm in Czech Republic. It can stay underwater up to 10 minutes without surfacing. It can reach 26-40cm in length and has a flat tail of 20-27cm in length. Males posses glands around their anuses which produce a substance called musk, used by people in perfume production :)
European water vole. Source.
European water vole (Arvicola amphibius) - this furry mammal is 13-25cm long and possesses a tail of 6-15cm. It is a nocturnal animal and an omnivore feeding on plant roots and hunting for fish, molluscs and insects. It is very commonly encountered in the entire country. European water vole is known to build extensive underground tunnels often used as pantries. It is under partial protection.
Eurasian river otter. Source.
Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra) - is reported to be present throughout the entirety of the country but everywhere is equally rare. It lives in tunnels built on shores of waterbodies. It is under partial protection and labelled as close to endangered. Species reached up to 90cm in length. Eurasian river otters hunt at night and feed mainly on fish, sporadically eating aquatic birds and rodents. They are very relucant to leave their water habitats but they do so if hunger forces them to search on alternative food sources - like poultry.