Second Saturday: Shrews with Bryon Clark

This presentation will focus on the life history and ecology of the four species of shrews that occur in Texas, with emphasis on the Southern Short-tailed Shrew and Least Shrew found in the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Even though shrews are one of the most diverse groups of mammals, they are still one of the least studied. Shrews are small mammals with long, pointed noses, inconspicuous ears, minute eyes, and a short tail. They have short, dense, velvety fur and like other shrews in North America, their teeth have a chestnut color. Shrews have a high metabolic rate and voracious appetite; several species have a venomous saliva that aids in subduing their prey.

Dr. Bryon Clark has been a nature enthusiast since growing up on the family farm in southern Iowa. He has a B.A. in Biology from Central College in Iowa, a M.S. in Biology from Western Illinois University, and a Ph.D. in Biology from Kansas State University. He is a mammalian ecologist; his research focused on the ecology and natural history of small mammals including bats, rodents, and shrews. He served on the faculty and administration at Southeastern Oklahoma State University for 30 years until his retirement in 2020. Bryon is the immediate past President of the Friends of Hagerman Board, member of the Board of Directors of the Texoma Audubon Society, and a certified Texas Master Naturalist. He enjoys sharing stories and information about nature to anyone that will listen.