This long-nosed animal darts along the forest floors of east Africa, using its powerful sense of smell to hunt for insects. Scientists argue it should be called the “black and rufous sengi,” as the species is known in local languages, because this animal is not closely related to shrews.
- lcLeast Concern
- ntNear Threatened
- vuVulnerable
- enEndangered
- crCritically Endangered
- ewExtinct in the Wild
- exExtinct
- ddData Deficient
- neNot Evaluated
Black and rufous elephant shrews get their name for their long noses, which resemble an elephant’s trunk. They have long heads, round ears, thin tails and compact bodies, with reddish fur on their heads and chests, black fur on their hind parts, and a white ring around their dark eyes. Their hind legs are slightly longer than their front legs, which gives them extra speed and agility.
Black and rufous elephant shrews can either be solitary or live in monogamous breeding pairs. These pairs will establish home territories and push away any rival elephant shrews that encroach on their turf.
- Despite what the name suggests, this animal is more closely related to elephants than it is to shrews.
- Elephant shrews are a fast-moving group. Some species can reach speeds of 18 miles per hour (28 kilometers per hour).
Around 4-5 years.
Relatively little is known about how black-and rufous elephant shrews communicate. This species uses scent-marking to claim territory and search for mates.
Females are pregnant for 45 to 60 days. Black-and rufous elephant shrews typically give birth to one or two large young, which are weaned at about two weeks old. Near the end of the nursing process, the parents will mash up insects in their mouths and feed them to the babies instead of milk. Babies typically stay in their nest for about a month.
Insectivores, but also eat fruit and seeds. They use their flexible snouts to root among the leaf litter, and scoop up beetles, centipedes, and ants with their long tongues.
Active during the daytime. At nighttime, they sleep in nests created out of leaves and twigs.
While black and rufous elephant shrew populations are not at immediate risk of extinction, their populations are decreasing in the wild. Habitat loss threatens this species, as their native forests are being destroyed to make room for commercial logging agriculture. Occasionally, these animals are trapped and hunted for food by humans.
Adults can reach about 11 inches (28 centimeters) in length, not including their tail, which can span up to 10 inches long. They typically weigh between 1-1.5 pounds (450-700 grams).
These animals are native to the dense lowland forests and shrublands of southeastern Kenya and eastern Tanzania. Their small, nimble bodies are well-adapted to evade forest predators, like snakes, foxes and birds of prey.