The Zoo's African Odyssey
Black and Rufous Giant Elephant-shrew Born at Zoo
February 2009
The National Zoo now has a baby black and rufous giant elephant-shrew—also known as a sengi. Newborn elephant-shrews stay hidden away in nests built by their parents for 21 to 25 days, so the baby wasn’t seen until it was almost three weeks old. Zoo staff are experts in breeding and caring for these fascinating animals. Keepers at the Small Mammal House were eagerly awaiting the birth, closely monitoring the female’s weight and watching her behavior to predict precisely when she would give birth. Once they suspected the baby had arrived, they changed their routine to minimize noise so as not to disturb the nest site, creating a quiet and nurturing exhibit for the newborn animal.
Elephant-shrews are neither elephants nor shrews, but belong to their own group of ancient mammals. They are distantly related to aardvarks, and have been classified in the superorder of mammals that includes manatees and dugongs, hyraxes, and elephants. Native to eastern Kenya and Tanzania, the black and rufous giant elephant-shrew is listed as vulnerable to extinction.
Watch a video of the baby and an interview with Zoo keeper Ashton Shaffer
