Elephant shrews, sometimes known as “jumping shrews,” or “sengis,” are small, rodent-like mammals. They get their traditional common name from the resemblance between their elongated nose (a “proboscis”) and the trunk of an elephant; as well as an incorrect assumption of a close relationship with the true shrews. There are 19 species of elephant shrews, and they are found across southern Africa.
Description[]
Elephant shrews are not, in fact, only shrews. Recent evidence suggests that they are more closely related to a group of African mammals that includes elephants, sea cows, and aardvarks. Elephant shrews (also called sengis) are represented by a single family, the Macroscelididae, including four genera and 19 living species. They take their name from their long pointed head and very long, mobile, trunk-like nose. They have rather long, legs for their size, which move in a hopping fashion like rabbits. They have a hunchbacked posture and a long, scaly tail. A gland on the underside of the tail produces a strong scent used to mark territories. This musky smell serves as a deterrent against many carnivores.
Distribution and Habitat[]
The species as a whole is widely distributed throughout Africa, excluding western Africa and the Sahara region, but despite their wide distribution range, sightings are still rare. The four-toed elephant shrew is one of the most widespread of the species, occurring from Central and Eastern Africa to the Northeastern corner of South Africa. The four species of giant elephant shrew prefer to live in forests, closed-canopy woodlands, and thickets, usually with a floor densely covered by leaf litter. The checkered elephant shrew is found in Central Africa; the golden-rumped elephant shrew is endemic to Kenya; the grey-faced shrew is confined to two forests in Tanzania, and the black and rufous elephant shrew is found in East Africa. Smaller elephant shrew species can be found in the uplands of southern, eastern, and northwestern Africa, in dry forests, scrub, savannas, and open country covered by sparse shrubs of grass.
Diet[]
Elephant shrews mainly eat invertebrates, including earthworms, spiders, insects, centipedes, and millipedes. Some species also eat green plant matter, seeds, and small fruits.