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Shrew Facts & Worksheets

The Shrew is a small mole-like mammals that are frequently mistaken for mice

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The shrew is a small mole-like mammal in the order Eulipotyphla; they are frequently mistaken for mice but are insectivores, not rodents.

See the fact file below for more information on the Shrew, or you can download our 31-page Shrew worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

  • These insectivores are members of the Soricidae family. Soricidae is derived from the Latin word sorex, meaning “shrew or shrew-mouse.” This family contains 23 or 26 genera and 385 species. There are also numerous subspecies and semispecies. 

ANATOMY AND CHARACTERISTICS

  • The shrew is a little animal; even the most giant Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus) rarely grows to be longer than 6 inches or heavier than 4 ounces. On top and the sides, they have gray, brown, or black fur; however, the ventral regions are lighter. Their noses are sharp, and their skulls are long, narrow, and flat. Their eyes are small, occasionally to the point of appearing simple. Because of this, biologists think that shrews can perceive their environment through touch, hearing, and smell. Several species employ echolocation, just like bats do.
  • The shrew loses its baby teeth even before it is born, which is one of the odd facts about the species. The shrew’s teeth are not replaced during its admittedly short lifespan.
  • Its pointed nose helps it dig underground for worms and grubs. Some members of the Soricidae family live near water, are good swimmers, and eat aquatic animals.

BEHAVIOR

  • The activity cycle of a shrew is determined by its species and habitat. Some shrews are nocturnal, while others are diurnal, and those in colder climates may go into torpor during the winter.
  • Shrews are solitary animals that live and forage alone when not breeding. They are fiercely territorial and aggressive toward other shrews, animals, and even humans.
  • Shrews use a series of high-pitched squeaks to echolocate. Shrews, unlike bats and some aquatic animals, are thought to use echolocation only to get a sense of their territory. Shrew hindquarter glands have a strong odor and are likely used as sexual attractants.

FEEDING BEHAVIOR

  • Shrews’ extremely high metabolism necessitates them to consume up to three times their body weight per day. They eat every 3-4 hours to keep their energy and body temperature up. 
  • Most prefer moist habitats where it is easy to dig through the soil to find insects and invertebrates. These insectivores feed on beetles, bugs, earthworms, grubs, spiders, millipedes, small fish, frogs, caterpillars, and other insect larvae. Food sources include mollusks, moths, flies, woodlice, fungi, and vegetation.

REPRODUCTION AND LIFE CYCLE

  • Shrews reproduce 1-3 times per year, usually during the summer. 
  • Males sometimes use clicking sounds to court females. Females mate with multiple males, and each litter may contain more than one father. Males mate with numerous females. 
  • Most males do not provide parental care, and females raise their children alone.
  • A female shrew will give birth to 2-10 young after a gestation period of about 21 days.
  • Babies are born blind, naked, and helpless, with their baby teeth already shed in the womb. In general, they are nursed for a little more than a month. When the mother needs to move her children, the family will form a caravan, with each baby holding the tail of the other and following her. Some members of the Soricidae family are ready to reproduce as early as three weeks old, while others wait until they are a year old.

CONSERVATION AND POPULATION

  • With 385 species, the Soricidae family is one of the most diverse on the planet. 
  • There are an estimated 100 billion shrews in the world, with only a few shrews per hectare of forest.
  • According to biologists, shrews’ conservation status is least concern.

HABITAT

  • Shrews are terrestrial mammals that live in various habitats. They prefer areas with ground cover to protect themselves from predators. Some live underground in abandoned burrows, while others live in gardens, tree cavities, and even homes.
  • They live in various ecosystems, including marshes, meadows, grasslands, forests, and woodlands. They prefer to hide underground or beneath vegetation piles.

DISTRIBUTION

  • These tiny mammals can be found all over the world. They only do not live in a few places, including Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
  • About 40% of these species are found in Africa, but shrews can be found all over the Northern Hemisphere.
  • They are especially successful in tropical and temperate climates. Each species has a distinct distribution, though many have overlapping populations.

SPECIFIC SPECIES

  • The common shrew (Sorex araneus), the Eurasian shrew, is the most common mammal in Northern Europe, including the United Kingdom, except Ireland. It measures 2.2 to 3.2 inches long and weighs 5 to 12 grams.
  • It has velvety dark brown fur with a pale underside. It is a venomous mammal that is extremely rare. The common shrew is distinguished by small eyes, a pointed, mobile snout, and red-tipped teeth. It has a lifespan of about 14 months.
  • The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew, is the smallest known mammal in terms of mass, weighing only 1.8 g on average. The body length of an Etruscan shrew, excluding the tail, is about 4 cm (1.6 in).
  • It has rapid movements and fast metabolism, eating 1.5-2 times its body weight per day. They can also be found on the Maltese islands, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. 
  • Although they are widespread and not threatened in general, they are uncommon and endangered in some countries.
  • The Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens) is a relatively large shrew that can grow up to 10 cm (4 in) long with a tail that can grow to be three-quarters as long. It has short, dark fur with tufts of white, a white belly, and stiff hairs around the feet and tail.
  • It lives near fresh water, where it hunts aquatic prey in the water and nearby. The water shrew has venomous saliva. It lives alone and can be found throughout northern Europe and Asia, from Britain to Korea.
  • The Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus) is also known as the house shrew, grey musk shrew, Asian musk shrew, or Indian musk shrew. It is a shrew species native to South and Southeast Asia that has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008 due to its large population and widespread distribution. It has been introduced into several West Asian and East African countries.
  • It is considered an invasive species and has been linked to the extinction of several island lizard species. The Asian house shrew is native to South and Southeast Asia, but humans introduced it to eastern Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, the Philippines, and other Indian and Pacific Ocean islands.

PREDATORS AND THREATS

  • Predators on members of the Soricidae family include owls, weasels, foxes, and snakes. Despite their abundance, they are sensitive to environmental changes, such as pollution or habitat disruption.
  • Humans have varying effects on various Shrew species.
  • People rarely see them because they are most active at night and usually remain hidden while foraging. Threats include habitat destruction, pollution, pesticides, and invasive species.
  • Shrews are primarily an outdoor pest, but they will invade homes if food sources are scarce or the weather is cool.
  • People consider them pests because they cause severe damage by emitting an unpleasant odor, feeding on any stored food, biting people, and causing illness through food contamination.

HUMAN INTERACTIONS

  • Shrews have not been domesticated in any way by humans. Shrews make terrible pets. They have incredibly sharp little teeth, live for a short time, and are most active at night. People never want to keep one as a pet.
  • Shrews are kept in zoos, but they are not common. Their care and requirements vary depending on the species. Their enclosures should have plenty of caves and hiding places for them. Zookeepers feed them various insects, seeds, fruits, berries, and commercially produced insectivore diets.

Shrew Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Shrew across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Shrew, small mole-like mammals that are frequently mistaken for mice.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  • Shrew Facts 
  • Shrew Or False
  • Form and Function
  • Early Stage
  • Predators Detected
  • Name My Home
  • Is It Shrew?
  • Shrew Collection
  • Sound Reflection
  • What Do You Think?
  • Shrew Update!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a shrew?

A shrew is a small, insect-eating mammal that belongs to the family Soricidae.

What do shrews eat?

Shrews are insectivores and their diet mainly consist of small insects, spiders, worms, and snails.

Where do shrews live?

Shrews are found throughout the world, and are commonly found in forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

How do shrews defend themselves?

Shrews have a venomous saliva which they use to defend themselves from predators and to subdue their prey.

Are shrews endangered?

The conservation status of shrews varies depending on the species, some species are considered as Least concern, while others are considered as Vulnerable or Endangered by IUCN. The main threats to shrews are habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and pesticides.

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Link will appear as Shrew Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 17, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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