Long-tailed forest shrew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long-tailed forest shrew |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Soricidae |
| Genus: | Myosorex |
| Species: |
M. longicaudatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Myosorex longicaudatus Meester & Dippenaar, 1978
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| Long-tailed forest shrew range | |
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The long-tailed forest shrew is a small, mouse-like mammal that lives in forests. It is also known as the long-tailed mouse shrew. Its scientific name is Myosorex longicaudatus. This special shrew is found only in South Africa. It belongs to the family Soricidae, which includes all shrews.
Contents
What Does the Long-Tailed Forest Shrew Look Like?
The long-tailed forest shrew is a small creature. Its body, from head to rump, measures about 7.3 to 9.3 centimeters (about 3 to 3.7 inches) long. Its tail is also quite long, usually around 6.6 centimeters (about 2.6 inches).
Its fur is mostly dark grey on its back. If you look closely, each hair has a grey base, a yellowish or brownish middle, and a black tip. This mix of colors makes its coat look yellowish, brownish, or even blackish. The fur on its belly is a bit lighter. The colors on its back and belly blend together smoothly on its sides. Its tail is brownish-black on top and lighter underneath.
Where Does the Long-Tailed Forest Shrew Live?
This shrew is found only in South Africa. This means it is an endemic species. It lives along a narrow strip of coast in the Cape Province. You can find it in areas up to about 2,000 meters (about 6,560 feet) high.
There is a special type of this shrew, called Myosorex longicaudatus boosmai. This subspecies lives even higher up in the Langeberg Mountains. The long-tailed forest shrew likes places like primary forests and their edges. It also lives in fynbos (a type of shrubland) and wet, swampy grasslands. This shrew needs a moist environment to survive. It does not live in forests that have grown back after being cut down.
What Does the Long-Tailed Forest Shrew Eat?
The long-tailed forest shrew mainly eats insects. It also enjoys other small creatures without backbones, like worms or spiders. Scientists have even found seeds in its stomach, so it might eat those too!
This shrew has some interesting habits. When it wants to sniff around and explore its surroundings, it stands up on its back legs. It uses its long tail to help it balance. Its tail is also useful for climbing down plants. It can grab onto things with its tail, almost like a monkey!
Why Is the Long-Tailed Forest Shrew Endangered?
In places where the habitat is just right, this shrew can be quite common. However, the number of shrews in a population can change a lot. Sometimes, an area that had many shrews before might have very few or none later on.
The biggest danger to this shrew is climate change. Since it needs a moist, wet environment to live, drier weather can be a big problem. The areas around its current habitat are already becoming drier. It is also threatened by habitat destruction. This happens when its natural home is damaged or removed by human activities. Because of these threats, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the long-tailed forest shrew as an endangered species. This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever if we don't protect it.
 | Anna J. Cooper |
 | Mary McLeod Bethune |
 | Lillie Mae Bradford |
