Pygmy Shrew

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Scientific name: Sorex minutus

Family: Soricidae

Appearance: The Pygmy Shrew is Britain’s smallest terrestrial mammal and is considerably smaller than the Common Shrew. Its coat is pale brown above and a greyish-white below. It has the typical pointed snout of a shrew although it is more conical than other shrews. Its tail is relatively long and may have a tuft at its tip.

Size: Head and body 4.0-6.4 cm; Tail 3.0-4.6 cm; Weight 2.5-7.5 g.

Natural history: The Pygmy Shrew is active throughout the day and all year round, although most adults die before the winter. It eats a wide range of invertebrates including beetles, spiders and woodlice but not earthworms.  Pygmy Shrews will often nest under logs or rocks, the breeding season runs from April to October and females may have two or more litters of 4 to 6 young a year. Pygmy Shrews like other small mammals are predated by owls and other raptors.

Further information