New Mexico mammals

Montane Shrew in New Mexico

Sorex monticolus

Native to New Mexico S4 Apparently Secure in New Mexico

Not listed as nonindigenous in New Mexico by USGS NAS; native to its New Mexico range.

IUCN Red List status

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

AI-generated image: Montane Shrew in side profile on mossy forest floor. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracyAI-generated image: Montane Shrew beside wet log in mossy conifer litter. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy
AI-generated image No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracyMontane Shrew in side profile on mossy forest floorAI-generated image No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracyMontane Shrew beside wet log in mossy conifer litter

Montane Shrew in New Mexico, by the numbers

Common in New Mexico 14th most recorded of 176 mammals logged in New Mexico

1,564 occurrence records
1 with iNaturalist photos
Sep 25, 2019 Last seen in New Mexico

Records from 2000–2026.

1,564 total records count every New Mexico occurrence from GBIF and iNaturalist; the map plots a georeferenced sample of 300; the monthly chart covers the 1,563 records with a full observation date.

When to look for the Montane Shrew in New Mexico

Most sightings fall in August to September.

1,563 New Mexico occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) by month of year, 2000–2026. Shows when the species is recorded, not a guarantee of presence.

Monthly New Mexico records (table)
MonthRecords
January21
February34
March2
April10
May66
June121
July266
August415
September459
October155
November14
December0

Monthly montane shrew occurrence records (iNaturalist and GBIF) in New Mexico, 2000–2026.

Seasonality

Year-round in New Mexico, with recorded sightings peaking in August–September.

Occurrence map

Where Montane Shrew has been recorded in New Mexico

300 records mapped · zoom and drag to explore

300 New Mexico records mapped

Notable places to look

Park, forest, or monumentiNaturalist records
Valles Caldera National Preserve 131
Pecos Wilderness 101
Santa Fe National Forest 8
White Mountain Wilderness 6
Columbine-Hondo Wilderness 4
Fenton Lake Fishing Area (and Dam) 2
Capitan Mountains Wilderness 2
Colin Neblett Wildlife Management Area 2

Protected places with the most montane shrew sightings, from the USGS Protected Areas Database plus named mountain ranges, good spots to look, not a full breakdown, so they don't sum to the total.

Where it's recorded in New Mexico

CountyRecords
Sandoval County 548
San Miguel County 394
Rio Arriba County 140
Taos County 79
Otero County 76
Colfax County 59
Santa Fe County 55
Torrance County 49
Catron County 46
Lincoln County 40
Cibola County 22
Mora County 16
7 other counties 40

The complete county distribution, spread across 19 New Mexico counties. Every occurrence record falls in one county, so these sum to the total. Counties from GBIF and US Census boundaries.

Montane shrew reports are unusual in dry New Mexico because they point toward cool, damp shelter. Lincoln National Forest fits that high-country story, while the Bosque del Apache reference shows how moist ground along the Rio Grande can create a very different refuge.

July and September stand out in the monthly totals, with a dip between them. Tiny shrews hidden in leaf litter are rarely casual sightings, so survey timing can strongly shape that pattern. The records show when people found them, not how many lived nearby.

Occurrence data from GBIF.

AI-generated image: Montane Shrew in side profile on mossy forest floor. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy
Full species profile Montane Shrew Sorex monticolus Size 6.8 cm2.7 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz Lifespan Up to 2.1 yr View the full profile

More mammals in New Mexico in the atlas

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources:

  • GBIFCC-BY 4.0occurrence records behind the range map, elevation, and record counts
  • iNaturalistCC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SAobservations, photos, and audio recordings
  • NatureServe ExplorerCC-BYthe state conservation rank
  • IUCN Red Listattributed factthe global conservation status
  • USGS NASpublic domainnative / introduced status
  • Natural Earthpublic domainthe relief basemap
  • USFSpublic domainnational-forest boundaries
  • USGS Protected Areas Databasepublic domainthe named parks, forests, and refuges behind "notable places to look"