Elephant Shrew is a small, insect-eating mammal which belongs to the group of animals called sengis. They are widely distributed throughout Africa, excluding western Africa and the Sahara region.
There are a total of 19 species of elephant shrew that can be found all over Africa. They have fuzzy fur that can be white, yellowish-brown, grey, brown or black, depending on the species. They can jump like a rabbit, up to 3 feet into the air.
Quick Facts: –
- Elephant Shrew is a terrestrial creature that means it spends its entire life on the ground.
- These creatures can reach 4 to 12 inches in length and 2 to 18 ounces in weight on average.
- They are diurnal creatures which mean that they are always active and out hunting for food during the day.
- They mate for life and generally live in pairs. They occupy a territory of a few acres.
- Female individuals have a gestation period of around 45 to 60 days and they have 1 or 2 babies at once.
- These animals have an average lifespan of two to four years. They are able to reproduce at the age of 41 to 46 days
- They are known as insectivores because they survive on a diet that is solely comprised of insects.
- They have scent glands under the tail which are used to mark their trails and point out towards the direction of food.
- They have natural predators in the wild including snakes, lizards, birds of prey and omnivorous mammals.
