Where does the golden rumped elephant shrew live?

The Golden-rumped Elephant Shrew, which occurs in the Dakatcha Woodland, has a small range in the moist, dense coastal scrub forest and in lowland semi-deciduous forest along coastal Kenya.

What is the meaning of elephant shrew?

: any of several leaping African shrews comprising a family (Macroscelididae) remotely related to both the true shrews and the hedgehogs and having the nose long and flexible like a proboscis.

How does the elephant shrew protect itself?

Elephant shrews use scent glands under the tail to mark their trails and point out toward direction of food. They aggressively defend their territory against other elephant shrews (both males and females scream and fight with intruders).

How are elephant shrews related to elephants?

Elephant shrews are not, in fact, shrews. Recent evidence suggests that they are more closely related to a group of African mammals that includes elephants, sea cows, and aardvarks. Elephant shrews (also called sengis) are represented by a single family, the Macroscelididae, including four genera and 19 living species.

What kind of tail does a golden rumped elephant have?

The golden-rumped elephant shrew has long muscular rear legs and shorter, less developed forelegs. Like other elephant shrews, this species has a long and flexible snout, which is where its genus gets its name. Its tail is largely black except for the last third, which is white with a black tip.

How did the golden rumped elephant shrew get its name?

Its name derives from the conspicuous golden fur on its hindquarters, distinctive golden coloration on its rump, and grizzled gold forehead contrasting with its dark reddish-brown color. The golden-rumped elephant shrew has long muscular rear legs and shorter, less developed forelegs.

What kind of habitat does golden rumped elephant shrew live in?

Habitat and distribution. The golden-rumped elephant shrew is a diurnal animal, which lives in densely vegetated forests, avoiding clear and open areas to help protect themselves from predators. Golden-rumped elephant shrews build up to 6 nests at a time, alternating nests every night to leave no pattern for hunting predators to follow.

What kind of tail does an elephant shrew have?

Taxonomy and description. The golden-rumped elephant shrew has long muscular rear legs and shorter, less developed forelegs. Like other elephant shrews, this species has a long and flexible snout, which is where its genus gets its name. Its tail is largely black except for the last third, which is white with a black tip.