Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus)

Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus)

The Etruscan shrew is the smallest known mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 grams (0.063 oz) on average. It has a body length of about 4 centimetres (1.6 in) excluding the tail. It is characterized by very rapid movements and a fast metabolism, eating about 1.5–2 times its own body weight per day. It feeds on various small vertebrates and invertebrates, mostly insects, and can hunt individuals of the same size as itself. These shrews prefer warm and damp climates and are widely distributed in the belt between 10° and 30°N latitude stretching from Europe and North Africa up to Malaysia. They are relatively rare and are endangered in some countries.

Foto y texto gracias a http://cool-critters.tumblr.com/

photo credits: wiki, thefeaturedcreature