elephantshrew

Elephant shrews are small, furry mammals that resemble giant mice or gerbils. Elephant shrews are most closely related to moles and tenrecs.

It’s worth knowing that local people and wildlife guides may not always refer to these awesome mammals as “elephant shrew”. “Sengi” is another name for these shy creatures, and you can safely use it interchangeably. People also call them “jumping shrews”,

Elephant shrews, also known as sengis or jumping shrews, are small, slim-bodied mammals with a distinct, flexible snout that resembles a tiny elephant trunk. Their appearance is a mix between shrews and elephants, which describes their name.

There are 19 species of elephant shrews, and they are found across southern Africa. Elephant shrews are not rodents, but do resemble hunchbacked mice, or gerbils in their shape. They are also not true shrews but are more closely related to tenrecs, golden

Elephant shrews, also called jumping shrews or sengis, are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa, belonging to the family Macroscelididae, in the order Macroscelidea.