Round-eared elephant shrew
Macroscelides proboscideus
- FamilyElephant shrews (Macrosalididae)
- Weight35 – 50 g
- HabitatDeserts and semi-deserts
Extraordinary nose
Elephant shrews derive their name from their distinctive long, trunk-like snout, which they can twist and turn insearch of food. They typically eat insects, roots and berries.
The great escape
Round-eared elephant shrews are native to the thornbush steppes and stone deserts of southwestern Africa. They live in self-dug burrows, which have emergency exits to quickly escape when danger is imminent. In this labyrinth, knowing their way around gives them the advantage over their predators.
Genetic testing has confirmed that despite its size the round-eared elephant shrew is more closely related to elephants than shrews.
Distribution
