Alpine Shrew vs Common gorse

Sorex alpinus compared with Ulex europaeus

Key Differences

  • Alpine Shrew is Near Threatened while Common gorse is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Alpine Shrew Common gorse
Kingdom Animalia (Animals) Plantae (Plants)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class Mammalia (Mammals) Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha) Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family Soricidae Fabaceae
Genus Sorex Ulex
Species Sorex alpinus Ulex europaeus

Conservation Status

Alpine Shrew

NT — Near Threatened

Common gorse

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Alpine Shrew Common gorse
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common gorse

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands, among 8 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (4 countries), Asia (8 countries), Europe (15 countries), North America (6 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (8 countries).

Alpine Shrew

The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus) is a species in the genus Sorex. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common gorse

<em>Ulex europaeus</em>, commonly known as common gorse, is a spiny evergreen shrub belonging to the genus Ulex within the legume family Fabaceae. The species occupies a remarkable breadth of habitat types, including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, dry broadleaf forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands, among at least eight recognized biome categories. Its global range is exceptionally wide, spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, with records from numerous countries on each continent. Notably introduced and sometimes invasive outside its European origin, common gorse typically colonizes disturbed lands, heathlands, and coastal scrub. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia