About Shrews
Shrews have somewhat of a bad reputation within the English language. Women were often described as shrews if they exhibited certain prissy behavior, as evidenced by Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." Shrews came to be associated with several negative characteristics in people. World Info notes that shrews were even blamed for poisoning horses. Real shrews, however, are not quite the threat that the literary world may make them seem.
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Physical Characteristics
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Shrews are among the smallest mammals in the world. They resemble mice to casual observers, but shrews and mice are not related. Most shrews do not grow very large; some species of shrews do not grow beyond 3 inches in length and 1.5 grams in weight, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. For comparison, a penny weighs 3 grams. Shrews are usually brown or gray colored; their undersides are a lighter color. Shrews have pointed noses, small eyes and long whiskers. Shrews feature a musk gland as a defense mechanism against predators. The musk gland emits a strong, unpleasant odor that keeps most predators at bay.
Diet and Behavior
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Shrews are insectivores rather than rodents. Insectivores usually search for insects to eat, but they also eat other things such as small birds, mice, frogs or other shrews, according to United Wildlife Control. The desert shrew, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, is even known to eat scorpions and is immune to their stings. Shrews must eat quite a lot each day in order to maintain their body temperature. Most shrews are nocturnal creatures, meaning they are more active during nighttime hours and spend their days sleeping. Shrews live within burrows in the ground, often times using tunnels dug by moles or voles. When trapping food, according to Davidson College's Department of Biology, shrews use echolocation along with their poison-tipped teeth.
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Life Cycle
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Shrews nest within their tunnels, according to United Wildlife Control. Once shrews have mated, they typically gestate for 21 days before giving birth to live young. Each year, shrews can have one to three litters. Each litter features anywhere from two to 10 baby shrews. The shrew lifespan is relatively short, with most not living any longer than one or two years.
Shrew Species
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World Info states that more than 200 species of shrew have been discovered throughout the world. Two species of shrew are distinct to specific islands, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game: the St. Lawrence Island shrew and the Pribilof Island shrew. Another shrew unique to Alaska is the tiny shrew. Short-tailed shrews make their home in the eastern United States, according to World Info. In Africa, shrews such as the armored shrew and mouse shrew are abundant. The Department of Biology at Davidson College notes that Europe and Asia are home to the Eurasian water shrew.
Worldwide Distribution
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Davidson College's Department of Biology notes that shrew species are distributed throughout the world. The only areas lacking shrews as a native species are the polar regions. Shrews adapt to live in a number of regions, such as deserts, forests and grasslands. Shrews live throughout North America, adapting to each state's climate accordingly in order to survive.
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