American short-tailed shrew
The American short-tailed shrew is a small, highly active mammal known for its venomous saliva, which it uses to subdue prey. This shrew measures about four to five inches long, with a grayish-black velvety fur coat and a one-inch tail. It primarily inhabits wooded areas across North America, though it has adapted to suburban environments as natural habitats shrink. The species is part of the genus Blarina, which includes five different types of short-tailed shrews. These creatures are significant in their ecosystems, helping to control pest populations by feeding on insects, earthworms, and small vertebrates.
Despite their small size, American short-tailed shrews can be ferocious; they may even harm their young if disturbed. They exhibit a high-pitched squeak that is almost inaudible to humans, and their high-strung nature can lead to fatal reactions to loud noises. Predation threats include owls, coyotes, and foxes, but many animals avoid eating them due to their unpleasant odor. Breeding occurs from late winter to September, with females giving birth to litters of three to ten after a gestation period of two to three weeks. The life expectancy of these shrews is typically two to three years.
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American short-tailed shrew
The American short-tailed shrew is a small but ferocious animal with venomous saliva. A shrew may even kill its own young if they disturb her in the nest. The saliva is painful to humans as well as to other animals.
Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Isectivora
Family: Soricidae
Genus: Blarina
Species: Various (see below)
The American short-tailed shrew belongs to the genus Blarina. There are five species: Northern, Southern, Elliot's, Sherman, and Everglades short-tailed shrews. These species belong to the red-toothed shrew subfamily and live throughout North America, primarily in wooded areas. However, as their habitats have been demolished due to human expansion, they can also be found in suburban areas.
The American short-tailed shrew has fine, velvety, grayish black fur. It is between four and five inches (10 to 13 centimeters) long, has a one-inch-long tail (2 1/2 centimeters), and weighs up to one ounce (28 grams). The name "shrew" comes from the Old English language and means "the squeaker." Shrews have a very high-pitched squeak that is almost beyond the range of human hearing. Shrews are such busy animals and so high-strung that even a single thunderclap is enough actually to scare them to death.
The American short-tailed shrew scurries along the ground under the leaves in woodlands, thickets, and wooded parks and suburbs. In its foraging (searching for food), its long whiskers help detect large insects, earthworms, snails, small vertebrates, centipedes, spiders, mice, frogs, and even other shrews. It also eats mushrooms and other types of plants. They are an important part in the ecosystem because they help control crop pests. Like the Eurasian water shrew, the American short-tailed shrew has venomous (poisonous) saliva with which to stun and kill its prey. The poisonous saliva is strong enough even to be very painful to humans and to cause extensive swelling.
The only predators of the American short-tailed shrew are owls, birds, coyotes, weasels, and red foxes. Some other animals may kill a shrew but will not eat it because of the shrew's bad odor.
Shrews live alone except when they mate. Breeding season is from late winter to September. After building a nest, a female will give birth after two to three weeks and have a litter of between 3 and 10 young. She may have several litters in spring and summer. The young leave the nest after two to three weeks and are independent after a few more days. Females are mature in 1 1/2 months and males in 3 months. In captivity, the shrews make clicking sounds before they mate. Courtship in the wild is probably shorter since the shrews are very territorial and fight easily, even with a mate.
The life span of American short-tailed shrews is two to three years.
Bibliography
“American Short-Tailed Shrews (Blarina).” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/species/american-short-tailed-shrews-blarina. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.
Web, Animal Diversity. “Critter Catalog - Short-Tailed Shrew.” BioKIDS, University of Michigan, www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Blarina‗brevicauda/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.