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All shrews are tiny, most no larger than a mouse. The largest species is the Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus) of tropical Asia, which is about 15 cm (6 in) long and weighs around 100 g (3 + 1 ⁄ 2 oz) [2] The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), at about 3.5 cm (1 + 3 ⁄ 8 in) and 1.8 grams (28 grains), is the smallest known living terrestrial mammal.
The northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) is the largest shrew in the genus Blarina, [3] and occurs in the northeastern region of North America. [4] It is a semifossorial, highly active, and voracious insectivore and is present in a variety of habitats like broadleaved and pine forests among shrubs and hedges as well as grassy river banks. [5]
Common & Eurasian pygmy shrews (genus Sorex), size comparison. The common shrew is not an endangered species, but in Great Britain it, like other shrews, is protected from certain methods of killing by the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. [16] In Britain, shrews can be found at densities of up to one per 200 m 2 (240 yd²) in
The North American least shrew will also sometimes live inside beehives and eat all the larvae. It will often share its food with other shrews. It eats more than its body weight each day and is known to store food. [4] [7] The North American least shrew makes its home in burrows or shallow runways under flat stones or fallen logs.
The exact classification of the species is not fixed, with many recent proposals made based on molecular phylogenetic analysis. No species have gone extinct since 1500 CE, but over 50 species, or more than 10 percent of all eulipotyphlans, are considered endangered or critically endangered .
Etruscan shrews live alone except during mating periods. Their lifespan is estimated at typically around two years, but with a large uncertainty. [8] [11] They protect their territories by making chirping noises and signs of aggressiveness. [12]
Predators include larger shrews, hawks, owls, shrikes, snakes, herons, foxes, leopard frogs, bluebirds, brown trout, and weasels. Masked shrews are susceptible to many types of parasites, like fleas and tapeworms. [6] Cowan and colleagues (2007) found that the high volume of food masked shrews consume causes them to be more susceptible to ...
Shrews of similar size have a gestation period around 21 days, but no definitive information on the ornate shrew is available. [ 17 ] A litter can consist of 4 to 6 baby shrews which are expected to live for about 12 months. [ 7 ]