The response of mammals to anthropogenic disturbance in highly biodiverse regions is a continuing concern for conservation as land use change continues to increase. Shrews are usually associated with low forest disturbance by human activity; however, this has been poorly documented in tropical regions of the New World. We present preliminary data on the habitat and abundance of two shrew species in a forest-agricultural ecotone in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Shrews were monthly sampled (October 2018 to May 2019) from an undisturbed pine-oak forest, the forest edge, and a cultivated area. We collected 37 individuals of Cryptotis alticola (5) and Sorex ventralis (32), mainly during the winter (January–February 2019). Shrews were obtained from the undisturbed pine-oak forest (56.76%) and the forest edge (43.24%) and did not occur in cultivated areas. These results show a similar response to habitat disturbance observed in higher latitudes, with an apparent avoidance of cultivated areas. We conclude that shrews are sensitive to human-induced habitat transformations in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Our findings represent the first data on abundance and local distribution for C. alticola, a species in the IUCN Data Deficient category.

Published online 6 December, 2024; Print publication 31 January, 2025