Elephant Shrew

The elephant shrew is named because its long snout resembles an elephants trunk. It is in fact not a shrew, nor a rodent at all. In fact, studies have shown that it is a closer relative of the elephant than of the shrew. It is also known as a jumping shrew or a sengi.

Some elephant shrew species also eat new leaves, but they mostly eat small creatures, such as ants, termites, beetles, spiders, millipedes, and earthworms. There are several species found in Africa

DID YOU KNOW?

Bite-Size Brainiac

The elephant shrew has a larger brain size compared to other insectivorous animals.

Lightning Quick

The elephant shrew is the fastest of all the small mammals, reaching speeds of over 28 kilometres an hour.

An African Animal

There are 20 different species of elephant shrew and all of them only occur naturally on the continent of Africa.

Hop, Skip, Jump!

Elephant shrews have long back legs, which they use to hop around - in a very similar way to a rabbit!

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Elephant Shrew Conservation

Only one species of elephant shrew is endangered: the Golden rumped elephant shrew. is found in the northern coastal areas in and around Arabuko Sokoke National Park Mombasa in Kenya. It is the largest of all the elephant shrew species and is named after its interesting colouration. This species is in peril due to the fragmented forest environment that it lives in. They are often caught in traps by poachers, although they are not targeted for their meat, due to their foul taste.

If you'd like to learn more about elephant shrews and how you can help them, take a look at the following links:

Secret Africa

African Wildlife Foundation

World Land Trust