Pygmy shrew
The Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus ), often known simply as the pygmy shrew, is a widespread shrew of the northern Palearctic.
Di
DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Cr
CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
In
InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
Vermivore (from Latin vermi, meaning "worm" and vorare, "to devour") is a zoological term for animals that eat worms (including annelids, nematodes...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Pr
PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
Al
AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
So
SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
E
starts withThe Eurasian pygmy shrew is a small mole-like mammal widespread in northern Eurasia. It has a pointed muzzle and gray-brown fur, which becomes paler on the underside. The tail is hairy and relatively long. The Eurasian pygmy shrew has one of the highest metabolic rates among animals and should eat every two hours. It also has red tooth tips formed by the deposition of iron, which provides protection against wear.
Eurasian pygmy shrews live in the British Isles and most of continental Europe, European Russia, and Siberia to Lake Baikal. The northern boundary of their range runs beyond the Arctic Circle. These tiny animals inhabit relatively humid shaded areas with dense vegetation. However, they can also be found in meadows, wetlands, steppes, shrubland, sand dunes, forests and forest edges, and rocky areas.
Eurasian pygmy shrews are solitary and territorial creatures. They are active throughout the day and night and live in undergrowth and leaf litter. As their eyesight is generally poor, shrews rely on hearing and smell to locate their prey.
Eurasian pygmy shrews are carnivores (insectivores) that feed mainly on small insects and invertebrates.
Eurasian pygmy shrews breed from April until August. Females usually produce between 2 and 8 young per litter and care for the young in an underground nest. Since the gestation period is just over 3 weeks, they can have up to 5 litters in one year. Baby shrews are born blind and helpless weighing less than 1 g. Weaning occurs in about 22 days after which they become independent and establish their own territories.
Eurasian pygmy shrews are not threatened at present but they suffer from habitat loss, the use of pesticides, and shortage of insect prey.
According to IUCN, the Eurasian pygmy shrew is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
