Nest Construction, and Habitat
A very different way of life is exhibited by the desmans, of which there are two species. The Pyrencan desman Galemys pyrenaicus is confined to permanent, fast-flowing streams of the Pyrenees mountain range and parts of northern Iberia, the Russian desman Desmana moschata is found only in the slower moving waters and lakes of the western and central Soviet Union Just as moles are superbly adapted for a fossorial way of life, so too are the desmans for water. The streamlined body of the Pyrenean desman enables it to glide rapidly through the water, propelled by powerful webbed hindlimbs and steered, to some extent, by a long. broad tail. For any animal living in the snow-fed mountain streams, feeding and retaining body heat are top priorities. Unlike hedgehogs or tenrecs, desmans do not undergo periods of hibernation or torpor and must, therefore, live in optimum habitats to ensure their survival during the winter months when prey is most scarce. What Do Desmans Eat? Desmans feed on