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Giant otter shrew - POTAMOGALE VELOX
Possibly Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Shrew": "Shrew" comes from the Middle English word "shrewe," for the animal.
Description: A long-bodied squirrel-sized animal with a long, thick, tapered and laterally-compressed, rudderlike tail, the otter shrew has a broad flattened muzzle bearing numerous long stiff whiskers, and its nostrils are concealed by a flap of skin on the nose. Its fur is dense and soft; glossy chocolate brown dorsally, and white beneath. Head and body length is between 11.5 to 14", weight about 2.2 lb.
Location: West-central Africa.
Habitat: Aquatic. Mountain streams, coastal rivers, and swamps.
Behavior: Adapted strictly for aquatic life, the giant otter shrew is equally at home in fast-flowing streams or sluggish swamps. Its rapidly undulating tail propels the animal through the water while it holds its feet close to the body. Though primarily sensory in function, the abundant whiskers also act as a hydrofoil to stabilize the head and its streamlined body in motion. The whiskers are also used to locate food in the water, which is then eaten on land. The giant otter shrew's favorite food is freshwater crabs - as many as 25 can be eaten in one night. Fish are also commonly consumed, as are frogs and mollusks. This nocturnal animal, found solitary or in pairs, burrows in the riverbank, often leaving the entrance below water level.
Reproduction: Its breeding habits are not known, but apparently a litter is two babies.
Go to the Insectivores Page to get a general discussion of these animals.
Go to the Shrew Index to study other types of shrews.
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