The First Record of Taiga Shrew in Lithuania

The taiga shrew (Sorex isodon), a boreal forest species widely distributed across northern Eurasia, had not previously been recorded in the Baltic states. We report the first occurrence of S. isodon in Lithuania, which extends the species range westward into the Baltic region. The specimen, which was initially misidentified as Sorex araneus, was collected in 2023 near Vilnius during non-systematic snap-trapping. A detailed examination of tail, cranial, and dental characteristics confirmed the identification as S. isodon. The individual was a non-adult male, weighing 5.8 g, and was trapped in a wet mixed forest influenced by beaver activity. This suggests that the microhabitat conditions are similar to those reported in Belarus and Ukraine. This finding extends the western boundary of S. isodon distribution by approximately 200-630 km. This study underscores the potential underreporting of this species in the Baltic region and highlights the importance of revisiting existing skull collections, conducting targeted trapping, and performing genetic analyses. Verifying additional records will clarify the habitat preferences and conservation relevance of S. isodon at the western edge of its range.