Sulawesi white-handed shrew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sulawesi white-handed shrew |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Crocidura
|
| Species: |
rhoditis
|
 |
|
| Sulawesi White-handed shrew range | |
The Sulawesi white-handed shrew is a small mammal. It is also called the Temboan shrew. Its scientific name is Crocidura rhoditis. This shrew lives only on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. It is a common animal there. Scientists say it is a "least concern" animal. This means it is not in danger of disappearing.
Contents
What is the Sulawesi White-Handed Shrew?
The Sulawesi white-handed shrew is a type of mammal. It belongs to the family called Soricidae. This family includes many kinds of shrews. Shrews are small, mouse-like animals. They have long snouts and tiny eyes.
How Scientists Named It
The Sulawesi white-handed shrew was first described in 1921. Two American zoologists, Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. and Hollister, gave it its name. They called it Crocidura rhoditis. The first one found was in a place called Temboan. This is in North Sulawesi.
Other shrews live in Sulawesi too. These include the Sulawesi shrew and the black-footed shrew. The elongated shrew and the mossy forest shrew also live there. Scientists are still studying these shrews. They want to learn more about how they are related.
What It Looks Like
The Sulawesi white-handed shrew is a small animal. It is a type of white-toothed shrew. This means its teeth do not have iron in them. Some other shrews have reddish teeth because of iron.
Its fur is short and soft. On its back, the fur is greyish-brown or reddish-brown. Its belly is lighter in color. This shrew has ears that stick out. Its legs are short, and its feet are white. It also has a long tail. The tail has a few long hairs spread out on it.
Where It Lives
The Sulawesi white-handed shrew lives only on the island of Sulawesi. This island is part of Indonesia. You can find it in the northern, central, and southwestern parts of the island.
It usually lives in tropical forests. These can be forests in lowlands or on mountains. It can also live in forests that have grown back. These are called secondary forests. Scientists are still learning how well it can live in areas where the forest has been changed.
How It Behaves
We do not know much about how the Sulawesi white-handed shrew lives. Like other shrews, it probably lives among fallen leaves. It mostly eats insects. It might also eat other small creatures with many legs, like spiders.
Shrews usually do not live very long. Most Sulawesi white-handed shrews live for only 12 to 18 months.
Its Conservation Status
The Sulawesi white-handed shrew is quite common in some places. Scientists often find it in special traps. Its numbers seem to be steady. No big threats have been found for this species.
However, clearing forests could harm it. This shrew lives in many different areas. It is also found in several protected places. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a "least concern" animal. This means it is not currently in danger of extinction.
