Forest Shrew - Myosorex varius:The Forest Shrew is one of the more widely distributed of the 15 species of shrew species found in southern Africa. It is also one of the most aggressive of these little animals, with their tiny eyes and long, pointed snouts. Forest shrews are named for their close association with forests, and similar moist, densely vegetated environments. They are usually dark brown to greyish-brown. Forest shrews are mainly nocturnal (although they can be active for short periods throughout the day and night) and live in dense foliage, and so are not encountered very often. They are burrowers, although they usually only dig shallow tunnels under a rock, using their front claws and snout. This tunnel forms part of its nest, which it constructs with soft grass and lines with vegetable debris. Instead of excavating its own tunnel, the forest shrew may be quite content to appropriate the disused burrow of a molerat. During the day it spends much of its time lying in its nest, venturing out for a few minutes at a time to look for food or to defecate: these sorties away from the safety of the nest last an hour or two. A nesting pair of forest shrews will chatter intimately to each other. When alarmed or fighting a forest shrew utters a sharp little squeak. SIZE: Length (including tail) 12 cm; mass 15 g. COLOUR: Dark grey, with a grizzled fawn or yellow tinge. Underparts light grey, with the same tinge. The tail has a dark brown stripe on top. The feet are light grey. MOST LIKE: Dark-Footed Forest Shrew which can be distinguished by its dark feet, light brown underparts and a uniformly dark brown tail. HABITAT: Dense vegetation associated with moisture. South Africa - Eco Travel Guides - Wildlife Guides: Travel Guides: -:- Activities & Interests -:- Regions & Areas -:- Routes -:- Maps -:- Wildlife: -:- Vertebrates: -:- Amphibians -:- Birds -:- Fish -:- Mammals -:- Reptiles -:- |