Although mammals rarely produce poison, there are exceptions that continue to surprise scientists. The presence of water shit was recently observed on the Danish Island of the Fiania, more precisely in the Vejstrup ådal zone, near the city of Svendborg, according to the newspaper HuffPost. This species is less than 15 centimeters, lives in humid areas and has a poisonous bite.
Accelerated metabolism
This musaran lives next to streams, ponds and flooded areas, where he hunts small invertebrates and aquatic insects. One of your greatest peculiarities is in metabolism: your heart can beat up to 1,200 times a minute. This physiological requirement forces it to feed almost constantly, as it is enough for a few hours without eating so that it is at risk of life.
Hunting through sound and poison
Despite the small size, water musaran is an effective predator, according to the same source. It uses a rudimentary underwater echolation system, emitting sound waves that allow it to detect prey even in low visibility environments, such as cloudy waters or vegetation covered zones.
This aptitude to guide and hunt under water is uncommon among mammals, and adds to their agility: the pups begin to hunt a few days after birth, even before they open their eyes.
But it is its poisonous saliva that most surprises experts. Produced by specific glands, it allows you to paralyze or weaken larger prey and compete with other species per food, as referred to in the same source.
No danger to humans
Although poisonous, this species pursues no risk to humans. The substance it produces serves only for food and survival purposes, and there is no record of incidents or complications in contact with people.
This trait, however, puts the species in a very restricted list: only some species of mammals in the world produce poison, such as the male ornitorren (in Australia) or Loris-Leg (in Southeast Asia). In Europe, it is an almost absolute exception, according to the newspaper.
Its detection in Denmark, now confirmed by local observers, contributes to the knowledge of the European fauna and raises questions about the effects of climate change and the preservation of natural habitats.
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