Shrew Sorex araneus
Head and body length of S. araneus is 5-8cm with tail
lengths of 2.5-4.5cm. Weights range from 5-14g. It has short
legs, a pointed flexible snout with long whiskers, glossy dark
brown to black fur on the back with paler brown fur on the flanks
and a gray-white underside.
S. araneus is one of the smallest known mammals and must
consume 80-90 percent of its body weight every 24 hours. It
hunts in up to 10 small burst of activity during this time period,
eating insects, worms and carrion.
S. araneus is solitary with the exception of the brief
mating season. Gestation is 24-25 days, and generally 6-7 young
are born into a litter. Special breeding nests are constructed
which are made from woven grasses and dry leaves. These nest
are larger than those used by S. araneus during the rest
of the year which are found logs, roots, rocks, or in an old
is in C, E, and N Europe including the British Isls (with some
isolated populations in France, Italy and Spain), east to Siberia.