Forest Shrew (Myosorex varius)
 Description: This is a grizzled and
dark grey to brown colored shrew. It can also have a tawny coloration
on its dorsum as well. Hair on the underparts is grey with white tips
and the feet are off-white. The tail is bicolored, dark brown on top
and pale underneath.
Size: The total
length of the body is around 12.6cm, the tail measures approx. 4.3cm,
and the weight of an adult shrew is around 12g.
Habitat: The Forest
shrew inhabits mostly moist and densely vegetated areas. It can also be
found in the highveld near the edges of water bodies.
Behavior: Active a
night, it shelters in dark moist places such as under rocks, in leaf
litter and sometimes occupies other rodent burrows.
Diet: The diet
consists mostly of invertebrates, favoring earthworms and spiders.
Predators:
Predators mostly likely to prey on shrews are Barn owls, Water
mongoose, Striped weasels, and Striped polecats.
Reproduction: The
forest shrew breeds during the summer months, producing two to five
young per litter. The young cling to their mother’s nipples for the
first five to six days of life and are weaned after 20-25 days. The
young follow the mother on outings by gripping her fur or the fur of
siblings and following in a chain.
On Wildcliff:
Captured during mammal survey in June-July 2008, in Hidden Valley and
near Talari Stream. Identification not confirmed: may be Zuubron Forest
Shrew (Myosorex tenuis). The
Forest Shrew is endemic to southern Africa, but common in its range. It
is usually the first shrew to appear after a fire. Sightings of the
shrews are not likely unless you are using specialized mammal traps for
capture.
|
