Elephant shrew is a small mouselike mammal with a long, flexible nose. The nose somewhat resembles an elephant’s trunk. Elephant shrews are not true shrews but are classified in their own order. They grow from 3 to 12 inches (8 to 30 centimeters) long and weigh 11/2 to 19 ounces (42 to 540 grams). They have large eyes and ears, relatively long legs, a long tail, and normally gray or brown fur. There are about 20 species (kinds).
Elephant shrews live throughout much of Africa. They use their long, sensitive nose to find food, which includes insects, spiders, worms, and occasionally plants.
Elephant shrews usually have only one mate for life. In many species, each male and female pair establishes a territory and defends it together. The male protects the territory from other males, while the female protects it from other females. Female elephant shrews usually give birth to one or two offspring at a time. The young leave their parents after one to two months. Elephant shrews can survive up to four years in the wild.
