One of the shrews' main predators is the domestic cat. Thus, many peoples' first encounter with a shrew is when it is given to them as a present by the family pet. Shrews are very curious and will investigate any new objects they find. Because of this they can be easily captured in live traps, the most common of which is a Longworth trap. The Mammal Society runs a trap loan scheme for members.
Shrews are the most common mammals caught in discarded bottles and drink cans.
Tipping out the contents of these containers may reveal parts of the shrew skeleton. Another method used to find out if shrews are present in an area is hair- tubing. A series of tubes with two holes in the top can be placed at the soil surface with Sellotape covering the holes. An animal passing through the tube will leave a hair sample on the tape, which can then be identified using a hand- lens or microscope. Anthony Nelson Ltd, Oswestry.