Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Rare Venomous Shrew

Hispaniolan solenodon found during an expedition in 2008 to the Dominican Republic (image from BBC)

The Hispaniolan solenodon, a large venomous shrew, was recently sited and filmed by researchers on a month-long expedition to the Dominican Republic.  These rare and unique creatures are only found in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and are frequently the victims of deforestation, hunting and non-native species.  Very little is known about the animal's ecology, behavior and population status.  Conservationists are working relentlessly to learn more about the Hispaniolan solenodon and create a conservation plan for this species before it is too late.

To see footage click here!