New Trip Report: How not to see a Desman

Here’s a refreshing report from Jan Ebr on an unsuccessful search for a Pyrenean Desman. It is also a reminder that not every trip is a success even if some of us (me included) tend to report the highlights more than the lowlights. I could fill a whole new website with my disappointments alone. .. mammalmissing.com. Please keep these kind of reports coming. All (accurate) data can be useful!

How Not to See a Desman, Catalonia, 2022: Jan Ebr’s report on an unsuccessful search for Desman, with Stone Marten the best of the bycatch mammals

Jon

 

3 Comments

  • Daan Drukker

    I think you vole might be one of the water vole species, as even for bank vole standards, the tail is very long (additionally the size and habitat).
    P.S. I was in doubt if I should write a mammalmissing report too for Pyrenean Desman, but I found that quite painful to do 😛 I missed it at the other side of the Pyrenees at the well-known site of the Lacs d’Ayous despite searching fanatically during an evening, a night and a morning.

  • JanEbr

    I’d be quite happy if that were a Water Vole (the species have been basically merged by most people), since I have never seen yet, but this animal is wrong for that for all sorts of reasons … It also looks a bit weird for Bank Vole, I admit that, but Water Voles have different nose, ears, tail … I have posted more pictures on FB!
    Shame you have not seen int at Ayous – and nice to know that 🙂 as the reports available make it sound even too easy,

  • Lennartv

    Too bad you didn’t see it, you certainly made an effort! Reading about your rental car trouble I would really recommend you to rent your next car through sunnycars.com. I don’t have any shares in them, but renting through them has saved me from a lot of trouble. I find their service impeccable. The great thing about it is that renting through them covers everything and they reimburse you within a week if you still run into extra costs. They specifically instruct not to get any extra insurance on location and usually the rental companies don’t even try.

    I have tested this out in Chile when we had a flat tire. Also last year in Ecuador when I suddenly couldn’t reserve the deposit on my creditcard and had to pay an extra amount. I had the amount reimbursed within the week after I made the request and explained. As far as I can tell they are not more expensive than a regular company either.

    I realize this may sound like a commercial, but they are one of the few companies I would recommend without hesitation. So try it out and see if you like it 😉

Leave a Reply