the family of the shrews is the biggest of all insectivore-families. Over 250 types are condensed in more than 20 types. Only some remarkable types can therefore be mentioned here.
The subfamily of the white-tooth-shrews (Crocidurinae) is the biggest with approximately 200 types. Far most types belong to the type Crocidura. Native representatives of this type are they field, that garden, and the house-shrew.
A 2. The red-tooth-shrews (Soricinae) are subfamily. The native representatives belong to the type Sorex (dwarf, Alps, and forest-shrew) and the type Neomys (swamp and water-shrew). Africa's tank-shrews (Scutisoricinae) are a subfamily with only 2 types of the type Scutisorex.
Spread Shrews are widespread world-wide. they are missing only in Australia and Ozeanien, in the polar-areas and in South America's largest part.
Habitat Many different habitats are populated by the different shrew-types. The spectrum extends from the amphibious forms to the shrews living in desert-areas.
Very well at the water-life, the Himalaya-Spitzmäuse (type Chimmarogale) and the East-Asian mountain-brook-shrew (Nectogale elegans) are still tried on beside the native water-shrew (Neomys fodiens). While has more final swimming-skins between the toes, other types bristle-hems possess at the foot-edges, that support the swimming-movements.
Also some American types of the type turned into "water-shrews." So, Sorex parva lives in moist-areas of Virginia. Lived itself even adjusted at this in California's tides-swamps the Art of Sorex ornatus.
However, most shrews live in forest and field, hides under herbs and low grove. To this, most of the types of the type Sorex also like many types of the Asian Dick-tail-shrews (Suncus murinus) belong. Some of these types turned into Kulturfolgern. Besides the house-shrew, also the Dick-tail-shrew considers Suncus caerulea one of it.
The American short-tail-shrew (Blarina brevicaudata) digs flat walks or widens subterranean caves. Almost like moles in the earth lives the southeast-Asian stub-tail-shrew (Anourosorex squamipes), the North American shrew Sorex cooperi and the mole-shrews (type Surdisorex) from Kenya.
Two other shrew-types conquered an extreme habitat. The Gescheckte desert-shrew (Diplomesodon pulchellus) belonging to the white-tooth-shrews lives in the hot dry-areas of Wolga and Ural. Bristle-hems at the feet, like which the water-shrew, eases the advancement in the relaxed sand. In North America's southwest, desert-shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi) lives the gray belonging to the red-tooth-shrews.
Food The extremely active animals are over active the whole year. Some shrews live purely nightly; many are day and night to observe on its expeditions, however.
Shrews have an immense metabolism and therefore also a big food-demand. they are the most gluttonous robbers of our earth, that don't flinch also from bigger animals, surely. The desert-shrews of the type Diplomesodon jump desert-lizards in the back and clash firmly in the neck. So far as the lizard may also shake herself, it is not capable to get rid of this deadly strangler. The loot-animal becomes exhausted after short fight and stays motionlessly. Almost the whole lizard then is consumed hastily.
Shrews of the type Sorex eat as much food as the own weight daily. Suckling females eat even essentially more food. The types of the type Crocidura are content with a food-quantity, that corresponds to the half one or three-fourths weight. The food-plan of all shrews is very diverse. Mainly, they eat insects, spiders and other Gliedertiere, but also dead animals and vegetable food don't spurn it. Some types specialized on snail-food. Also smaller vertebrates are not spared by the courageous small robbers.
Way of life Most shrews are unsociable and live individually. Only the North American small-ear-shrew (Cryptotis parva) seems to be more social than its relatives.
All shrews have more or less solid precincts. Defend forest and water-shrew its area against invaders. The fights are guided from vehement squeal. With danger, fear-screams are discharged; some shrews throw themselves on that occasion on the back. With terrified animals, one determined a heart attack of 1200 hits against minute.
Shape The shrews are mouse-similar animals very small on the first gaze, belongs, however, to the insectivores. The biggest shrew is the rat-big giant-shrew (Praesorex Goliath). The other shrew-types usually are shorter than 8 cm without tail. Also the smallest mammals of our earth belong to the shrews. Our native dwarf-shrew (Sorex minutus) is only 4,5-6,5 cm long (without tail) and weighs only 3-6 g. However, the Etruscan-shrew (Suncus etruscus) is still clearly smaller. With a weight of only 1,5-2 g and a length of only 3,5-5 cm, it is the smallest mammal at all and even smaller than many insects.
The shrews are "noses and ear-animals." Continuously, they snoop around in all corners. they smell and feel the way through the world. The hearing is very well developed. Some types give away ultrasound-sounds. It is an echo-sounder-bearings proved after type of the bats for certain types. The eye of the shrews is only badly developed on the other hand.
Reproduction Shrews bring to the world bare and blind boy once or several times per year 2-10. they were born soft padded nest in one after 3-4 weeks of Tragzeit.
The reproductive-time is with us in the pre-summer of May until July, with some types also in October or November in.
The shrews have only a short life. They probably hardly become older than 1 or 11/2 years in the free nature.
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