Baby Elephant Shrew - February 2009

The Smithsonians National Zoo now has a new baby giant elephant-shrew—also known as a sengi. Keepers at the Small Mammal House did not know it had been born until they saw three elephant-shrews in the exhibit instead of two. The birth was planned as part of a captive breeding program, but baby elephant-shrews typically remain buried deep in their nest for the first several weeks of life. The baby, now about three-weeks-old, is busily exploring the exhibit with its parents.


Elephant-shrews are neither elephant nor shrew, but belong to their own group of ancient mammals. They are distantly related to aardvarks, sea cows, like manatees and dugongs, hyraxes and elephants. Native to eastern Kenya and Tanzania, the black and rufous giant elephant-shrews is listed as vulnerable to extinction.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• national
• zoo;
• dc
• smithsonian's
• elephant
• shrew;
• baby;
• small
• mammal
• house;
• mammal;
• animal;

[TheNicoleSinger]

ikr btw where thiz at?

[SmithsonianNZP]

@TheNicoleSinger These adorable animals live in the Small Mammal House at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC.

[Moopzoo]

SHREWS ARE AWESOME!!!! I have to get one of these little guys! Yea!

[SmithsonianNZP]

Shrews ARE awesome! Glad you think so too! Though, they don't actually make very good pets and require quite a lot of specialized care. So maybe it's best just to enjoy the Zoo shrews. :)

[ash81582]

great video! this is by far the most adorable animal i've ever seen- i cant help but smile when i watch that nose!

[snapper842002]

i want one

[OfficialPizza]

It looks like the leptictidiums in walking with prehistoric beasts

[Hamsterloki]

Bahahaha that is the most adorable thing ever! It's like an alien! :D

[EoceneRoxton]

@jerryjuicebag regular elephant shrews are much smaller, hence, these are giant because they are much bigger.

[itsme7773]

Omg that nose! It's soooo cute! It's like twitching everywhere lol! =3

[Fjallgeirr]

#LOL isocute xD

[AwayLemonade]

What a cute lil nose!

[Sodoch]

Awww, they're so cute and pretty! I just love their silly looking noses! makes me laugh every time! So cuute! :D I'd like to have one if they were more easily cared for. :)

[AussiiLad123]

Shrew's are AWESOME. I love umm :D

My Geog teacher has a big nose like them so we call him a shrew and call it Shrewography :')