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Most shrews are aggressive towards each other, but this species is a social creature and often cooperates in digging its burrows and often sleeps with other shrews. From 2 to 31 of these shrews will live together at a time, although it is more common to find them together in the winter months to keep warm. [4]
Shrews live 12 to 30 months. [8] A characteristic behaviour observed in many species of shrew is known as "caravanning". This is when a litter of young shrews form a line behind the mother, each gripping the shrew in front by the fur at the base of the tail. [9] Shrews are unusual among mammals in a number of respects.
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
These other shrews are often active during both the day and night. It is probable that the Preble's shrew is active all year. Shrews have been captured in the spring and late summer in southwestern Wyoming [11] and during the summer, fall and spring in British Columbia. [12] In Nevada, these shrews have been collected in the summer and fall. [13]
It has darker colouring than other shrews. Masked shrews can live up to two years, but, on average, only survive eighteen months. In a long-term study done in Alaska, Yom-Tov and colleagues (2005) found that the masked shrew's body size contradicts Bergmann's Rule . [ 4 ]
The southern short-tailed shrew is the smallest shrew in its genus, measuring 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 in) in total length, and weighing less than 14 g (0.49 oz).It has a comparatively heavy body, with short limbs and a thick neck, a long, pointed snout and ears that are nearly concealed by its soft, dense fur.
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 ]