Is the common shrew ( Sorex araneus ) really a common forest species

The data collected during nine vegetation seasons were analysed to reveal abundance of the common shrew in fir-beech forests of the Kremnicke vrchy Mts. (Western Carpathians, central Slovakia). Live trapping in three quadratic study plots and five lines representing different age categories of fir-beech and beech forests was carried out using wooden live traps and pitfalls. A very low abundance of the common shrew was found. During the whole period, the absolute overall trapping efficiency of the species comprised only 0.07% and mean density 0.08–0.52 ind./ha. The analysis revealed significant differences in neither trapping efficiency nor density among the study plots. Pitfalls and Chmela live traps reached similar values of the trapping efficiency (0.06 vs. 0.07%). The regression model showed a significant relationship (r = 0.55, p < 0.05) between the number of trap nights and the number of trapped individuals of the common shrew, but the overall number of trapped individuals remained very low also on the level of high trapping intensity. Some causes of the very low abundance of the common shrew were discussed; the fact remains a real rarity of the species in the given area and time.