Desert Shrew
From Freepedia
| Desert Shrew | ||||||||||||||
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| Notiosorex crawfordi (Coues, 1877) |
The Desert Shrew, Notiosorex crawfordi, is a small shrew found the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This is the only member of genus Notiosorex.
It is grey-brown in colour with light grey underparts. It has a long grey tail which is lighter underneath and small but relatively prominent ears. Its body is about 8 cm in length including a 3 cm long tail. It weighs about 4 g.
These animals are most commonly found in dry shrubby or grassy areas. They are one of the smallest desert mammals.
They eat insects, small rodents and carrion, getting most of their water from their food. Predators include owls, coyotes and snakes.
These animals are mainly active at night. They mate between late spring and summer. 4 or 5 young are born in a nest made of plant material. Females may have two litters in a year.
