Short-snouted Elephant Shrew

About the Short-snouted Elephant Shrew

The short-snouted sengi or short-snouted elephant shrew (Elephantulus brachyrhynchus) is a species of small mammal belonging to the sengi family (Macroscelididae). It is found over a wide area of Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.

The short-snouted sengi is listed as of least concern by the IUCN because it inhabits immense areas of southern Africa that are generally not inhabited by humans. While no specific threats to this species are apparent, possible future threats to the short-snouted sengis include woody plant encroachment and desertification.

This species is found from northern South Africa through northeast Namibia, east and central Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique north to the Democratic Republic of Congo. In East Africa, they are found in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Short-snouted sengis inhabit arid and semi-arid habitats. They prefer densely covered bush lands and scrub such as dry savannas and grasslands. While knowledge on the lifespan of short-snouted sengis are limited, one specimen lived 4.2 years in captivity... Wikipedia →