A desman’s life in the current
Cold water has its own inhabitants too.
Explore: The river is also a pantry →Read here and view sources
The Pyrenean desman, Galemys pyrenaicus, is associated with cold, clear, well-oxygenated water, often in fast-flowing mountain rivers. The University of Évora also mentions the use of slower water, such as canals and lakes: a preference is not exclusivity. Its natural range is limited to the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees. Conservation involves vegetated banks, shelters and connected habitats; the profile identifies silting and isolation among the threats. The municipal description of Cabreira’s fauna mentions the species, but this story has no geolocated record in the municipality.
Its elongated snout, shaped like a small trunk, helps it search for invertebrate larvae underwater, according to the Generalitat of Catalonia’s description. The technical profile hosted by ICNF highlights riverbed invertebrates as its food base, including caddisflies, stoneflies, mayflies and true flies. Small animals that may seem like details of the river are part of a mammal’s diet.
The ICNF profile adds a qualification for Portugal: it considers still-water habitats, such as reservoirs and small high-altitude lakes, unfavourable. The general reference to slower water should not become an invitation to search for the species in any lake. Suitable habitat also involves food, bank shelters and connections with other river sections.
Source and context
University of Évora — Virtual Museum of Biodiversity, Galemys pyrenaicus
Vieira Tourism of Minho — fauna of Serra da Cabreira, regional reference
ICNF — Galemys pyrenaicus, ecology and nutrition (historical references)
Generalitat de Catalunya — Iberian Desmán, description of snout and feeding
Accessed: . Editorial summary; the date of consultation is not the date of the facts.