 Shrew Insectivorous mammal belonging to the family (Soricidae) of North South America , North America , Asia , and Europe. A nervous and active animal, related to the mall, it has a musky odor. The common shrew or masked shrew has a heart beat that is considerably faster than that of a hummingbird at 800 beats per minute, and is a prodigious eater and vicious fighter.
Shrews being among the smallest of mammals ; some 2 and a half inches total length , to 6 and a half inches long . The shrewes saliva is poisonous and if injected into a mouse is fatal, and causes discomfort to humans. The African elephant shrews and Oriental tree shrews belong to other families. |
