Sulawesi shrew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sulawesi shrew |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Crocidura
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| Species: |
lea
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| Sulawesi shrew range | |
The Sulawesi shrew (Crocidura lea) is a small mammal that lives only on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. It's a type of shrew, which are tiny, mouse-like animals with long snouts. Scientists call it Crocidura lea. This shrew is quite common, and experts say it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
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About the Sulawesi Shrew
The Sulawesi shrew is a member of the Soricidae family, which includes all shrews. It was first officially described in 1921 by two American zoologists, Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. and Hollister. They found it in North Sulawesi.
Family of Shrews
The Sulawesi shrew is part of a group of shrews that live only on Sulawesi. This group includes other shrews like the Sulawesi white-handed shrew, the black-footed shrew, the elongated shrew, and the mossy forest shrew. The Sulawesi shrew is the smallest of these. Only the Sulawesi tiny shrew, which lives in eastern Sulawesi, is even smaller.
What Does It Look Like?
The Sulawesi shrew is one of the smallest shrews with "white teeth." This means its teeth don't have the reddish color that some other shrews have. Its fur is short and soft, like velvet. On its back, the fur is greyish-brown or reddish-brown. Its belly is a lighter color.
Where Does It Live?
The Sulawesi shrew lives only on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. You can find it in the central and northern parts of the island. It lives in places up to about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) high.
Habitat
This shrew usually lives in natural tropical forests. However, it can also live in forests that have grown back after being cut down. Scientists are still learning how well it can live in areas where the forest has been changed by people.
Behaviour and Diet
Scientists believe the Sulawesi shrew is active mostly at night. Not much is known about its daily life or how it behaves. Like other shrews, it probably lives among fallen leaves on the forest floor. It eats insects and other small creatures with many legs, like spiders.
Conservation Status
The Sulawesi shrew is fairly common in some areas. It is often caught in special traps used by scientists. We don't know if its numbers are growing or shrinking, but there are no big threats to this species right now. Because it lives in a wide area and is common, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a species of "least concern". This means it's not currently at risk of going extinct.
