My global I am hyperactive all year The 3 range long, unlike some other mammals like bats or is very limited. I live in hedgehogs who hibernate. And although I mainly Pyrenean only four countries: in the hunt at night, I regularly go out in daytime to South of France (Pyrenees), find my lunch. in Andorra, in the North- West of Spain and in the The same diet every day of North of Portugal. This The ins and outs of 3 - Range range has become smaller the year ! The and fragmented4 since the late twentieth century. Although I am very small, I eat like a horse: just an unusual and fragile geographical In France, the biggest number of desmans can be d. try and eat between one third and half your body mammal living in our streams area within weight every day! I adore insects, especially the found in the East of the Pyrenees. which a larvae of caddisflies (photo d), stoneflies and species can mayflies (photo e) but, from time to time, I be found (covering also eat crustaceans such as gammarids. its entire My next-door neighbour is a I am a small mammal living by mountain streams. population).

trout And who feeds on me? Scientists call me Galemys pyrenaicus. Although 5 in our streams our in 4 -Fragmented In France, I hang out in the same habitat as Predators such as river otters have me on one glance is enough to identify me, I was only Broken down their menu, but it is also the case for a

trouts: mountain streams, torrents and lakes. e. discovered in 1811. It is because I can be very into many few introduced species –like American minks– or 1 mammal living living mammal You can spot me as low as 80 metres shy, with my semi-aquatic mainly nocturnal lifestyle. small isolated domestic ones, such as cats and dogs. pieces. above sea level, but I prefer to settle

between 450 and 2700 metres. I love an unusual and fragile fragile and unusual an 5 - Predator a wet climate and seek undeveloped An animal

which captures rivers. I am particularly fond of a The ins and outs of of outs and ins The living prey in river when its bed is made up of A secret life order to feed different things (stones, rocks…) and itself or its in a small territory young. when its currents and natural banks are varied (see photo c). 1 - Semi- I usually live alone, but the female of the aquatic species looks after their young for at least c. In France, Living partly in a few weeks. As adults, our paths cross

water.

one of its when it is time to reproduce but our social nicknames is Pyrenean 2 - Life life may well be more complicated than has « trumpet rat » expectancy been observed so far… a. which is hardly Lifetime. Although I am small, my range is hundreds of

Like a Desman surprising ! metres along a stream. The An adult This very flexible trunk enables the Desman You can find me by spotting the droppings I leave on rocks in water! Desman to search through stones looking for insect sticking out of the water: twist-shaped excrement which is weighs 60 grams larvae and to grab its prey in order to eat very pungent when fresh (photo a). on average. it. It is equipped with a lot of hair and My home is a simple affair: either a cavity dug out by sensory organs another species on the banks of a river or a crevice (vibrissae and Eimer’s organs). Once in water, this little Now we know its hunting in between roots or stones (photo b). fur ball turns into a real secret ! torpedo. Focus on my private life A long tail It is flat at the end, laterally, and acts What tiny eyes ! For more information : as a rudder or helps with balance My private life is… PRIVATE! Human beings know If not blind as a bat, the when the desman walks or runs. little about it: I give birth between the end www.desman-life.fr Desman is probably b. of February and July, but nobody knows how short-sighted ! Or contact your local adviser : many offsprings I have each year. As for my life Very large back paws expectancy2 , after studying my teeth, they reckon it They are webbed with sturdy claws. They help could be two or three years on average, but who knows ? An invisible hearing to keep the desman under water by gently pushing system against stones and rocks, but they also turn out to be Apparently the powerful oars. Desman cannot hear much. When it dives, a 25 cm long (over half of which is the tail alone) A dense fur membrane obstructs its coat Small front paws ears and nostrils. Consisting of two layers of Folded under the Desman’s torso while swimming. Sturdy LIFE+ Desman : And follow the programme on social networks : hair which trap an insulating claws help the mammal hook onto stones as it looks for air layer, this coat protects a European conservation www.facebook.com/desmanlife https://twitter.com/desmanlife prey on the stream bed. the Desman from water and cold weather. programme

The CEN Midi-Pyrénées manages the LIFE+ Desman project with the support of : An endangered N Toulouse A few years ago, a real dynamic emerged around the species conservation of this small mammal. The Pyrenean desman, as well as its resting Yannick Bielle (close Yannick Pau and reproduction sites, is protected in France and in the rest of Europe. The LIFE+ Experts are unanimous : Garonne, Ariège, Hers, Salat, Pique et Neste Tarbes Desman project (LIFE13NAT/FR/000092) proposes to enhance its conservation Le Saison A part of our natural heritage, the desman’s future is Carcassonne status in the long term and in a hands-on way across 11 Natura 2000 sites (see Le gave d’Ossau the map to the left) and then throughout the Pyrenees over a longer period of time not bright due to the degradation of its habitat. Many utilising the methods and tools that were developed. It has set four main goals for human activities (destruction or alteration of river banks, the period 2014–2019 :

GDF SUEZ RÉFÉRENCES COULEUR GDF_SUEZ_SHEM_CMYK 11/12/2013 24, rue Salomon de Rothschild - 92288 Suresnes - FRANCE C 45% Y 100% Tél. : +33 (0)1 57 32 87 00 / Fax : +33 (0)1 57 32 87 87 Web : www.carrenoir.com C 50% C 100% M 75% Foix – to reconcile the conservation of the desman with human activities, hydroelectric plants, pollution…), combined with other The LIFE+ project brings together many technical partners : PyrénéesEstaubé, Gavarnie, – to systematically take the species into account when managing or developing factors such as global warming and invasive species Troumouse et Quérigut, Laurenti,...Bassin du Rebenty aquatic environments in the Pyrenees, E Barroude Rioumajou – to propose measures for managing the desman’s habitats, threaten the survival of its populations. It is et Moudang Haute Vallée de l’Aude S et Bassin de l’Aiguette – to raise awareness among local populations and the general public with regard Vallée de l’Aston Photography : Photography G / Scories dans la Brume Yannick urgent to set up operational initiatives for P Perpignan to its conservation. These goals break down into 29 action points. A Massif de Madres-Coronat the conservation of the desman G N E ANDORRE Capcir, Carlit et Campcardos and its habitat. Map of the 11 Natura The project also receives the scientific backup of several laboratories, such as the university of 2000 sites covered by the Liège (Belgium) and the EcoLab, the university Paul Sabatier and the INRA CEFS in Toulouse LIFE+ Desman initiatives up of the trunk on the flip side), Frédéric Blanc, François-Olivier Chabot, Lysa Laviolle, Bruno Le Bruno Laviolle, Lysa Chabot, François-Olivier Blanc, Frédéric side), flip the on trunk the of up Roux – Mélanie Némoz. Printed on paper certified from forests managed in accordance with : CEN Midi-Pyrénées. inks. - Production and using vegetable-based sustainable development (France). : Illustrations - 2015 The Pyrenean

unusual and fragile mammal living in our streams