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Macroscelides Probuscideus |
The shrew is a very small animal and this picture shows a shrew compared with a person's hand. |
General Animal information: You may have never heard
or seen the Desert Shrew or any shrew. Well I am here to tell you how this
mysterious and shy animal live. The Desert Shrew is a tiny mammal that
preys on insects found in the African Sahara. They find shelters under
logs and clumps of grass. They do not interact with other any animal. Their
about 3-4.7 in. in size and .2-.5 oz. in weight. So read on to find more
about this fabulous animal.
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| Body Structure: The Desert shrew has short dense fur for a cooling system in the daytime and a heating system in the nighttime. Their skin is dark brown on the back, light brown on the sides, and pale on the belly. They have clawed feet and a long snout for walking around all night to find his food. They have sharp teeth to sank into their prey before they eat. They have small eyes for keeping sands out of its eyes. They also have mouse like bodies for being able to hide from their enemies. Their size can range from 3- 4.7 inches. Their weight is about .2-.5 oz. | Food: They mainly feed on worms, small animals, and insects (
they are insectivore). They nibble on their food. They first catch the
prey and then they sink their teeth in the food. They eat their weight
of food every day. All they do in a day is eat and sleep.
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| Shelter/Habitat: They live in the Sahara in North Africa. They
need little shelter because they nest under logs and if there are grass,
they nests among grassy clumps. They sometimes wonder for days looking
for shelter in a hot desert.
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Relationship with other animals: They are very shy
and mate only when a female is giving birth. They hunt alone and live by
themselves until its time to find a mate. They stay together as a whole
family. They are not really socialized and do not live in pack.
Some of its neighbors and enemies are snakes, eagles, hedgehog, and voles. The snakes are reptiles who feed on small animals. It neighbors are the hedgehog which is in the same family as shrews and voles which are good at escaping quickly. |
| Important Additional Facts: They have a shrill, twittering call. They usually stay hidden among other animals. Not a lot is known about this animal because it is hard to spot and they are nocturnal. |
This shrew is digging through sand and a little soil to find food. |
| Zoo Habitat Requirements: They need logs and little clumps of grass. They need to be in a very hot place. | Zoo Observations: This animal was not on exhibit and I couldn't find an animal related to the Desert Shrew that lives in the same region as the Desert Shrew. |
