Class:Mammalia
Order:Soricomorpha
Family:Soricidae
The lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens, Pallas 1811) is one of the smallest European mammals. With a length of only 5-8 centimetres, it is the smallest of the Italian shrews, compared to which it is also characterised by a shorter tail. The colouring of its fur is quite variable: the greyish background colour is overlaid with more or less marked shades of reddish-brown and darker brown; the belly is light grey, with shades ranging from creamy yellow to ochre yellow. They are insectivores with a tapered snout, small predator teeth, very small eyes and a highly developed sense of smell.
Habits and Diet
It is a terrestrial species with both diurnal and nocturnal habits. It often uses burrows dug by other mammals or simple crevices in rocks or at the base of bushes as nests, which it lines with a bed of leaves and twigs. The lesser shrew hunts small invertebrates such as insects, snails and slugs, myriapods and isopods. It frequents various types of habitats, including scrubland, grasslands and rocky environments, from coastlines to mountain peaks. It is often found in gardens near human settlements and in agricultural areas. Due to their small size, all shrews have a very high metabolism and must feed continuously, otherwise they weaken very quickly and die. This is why if shrews are found trapped in containers from which they cannot escape, such as pots and bottles, they must be freed immediately.
Its main predators are barn owls and, to a lesser extent, little owls and tawny owls. Occasionally, it can also be preyed upon by mustelids.
Reproduction
The breeding season runs from spring to autumn. Females can have up to 3-5 pregnancies per season. Gestation lasts just under a month. The young leave the nest at around eight days old and reach sexual maturity at around three months. There are an average of four young per litter and the lesser shrew, like other shrews, practises caravanning: the young line up in single file, clinging with their teeth to the tail of the one in front, starting with the mother, who obviously leads the way and guides them as they move. Caravanning is used to move the litter in case of danger or disturbance to the nest, as well as to encourage the young to explore the territory.
