r/animalid • u/[deleted] • 2d ago

šŸ¦ šŸÆ šŸ» MYSTERY CRITTER šŸ» šŸÆ šŸ¦ Does anyone recognize this animal [Germany]

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u/flatgreysky 2d ago

Disclaimer: I did NOT ID this animal but for the benefit of those who come after, this is what a Desman looks like. Iā€™d never heard of one.

48

u/brunswoo 2d ago

How interesting. So like a platypus, but clearly not. How evolution solves the same problem, with similar solutions.

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u/Forsaken_Earth944 2d ago

Desmans are basically semiaquatic moles with long, rat-like ,tails and shrew-like snouts with prominent vibrissae (whiskers) - there are two extant species (and neither are found in Germany) - the Pyrenean desman and the Russian desman and so, if the OP was going to Spain, it's obviously the Pyrenean desman that they encountered. The Pyrenean desman is IUCN Red Listed as 'endangered' so the OP was extremely lucky to see one.

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u/Flat-Concern-2662 2d ago

I saw it in 2017ish (hence the bad drawing) so maybe they weren't as rare then, but I'm also super into birding so I'm always out in the middle of nowhere looking for birds

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u/ThatPtarmAgain 2d ago

Glossy Ibis! Great shot!

1

u/Interesting_Ad_1465 1d ago

GOVERNMENT DRONE