insectivores. insectivores are mammals that survive by eating almost nothing except small insects....
TRANSCRIPT
Insectivores
Insectivores are mammals that survive by eating almost nothing except small insects.
• Shrew• Hedgehog• Mole• Tenrec
Shrew
• Shrews are very small and very aggressive mammals. • They live in almost every type of habitat. • There are about 260 species of shrew.
Shrew
• Shrews are related to moles; they are not rodents. • They are very good burrowers and swimmers. • Many shrews are nocturnal.
Shrew
• The North American Pygmy shrew may be the smallest mammal in the world.
• It weighs about 2 - 4 grams. • It’s body is about the size of a person’s thumb.• The biggest shrews are about 1 foot long.
Shrew
• Shrews have short, dense fur, clawed feet, a long snout, sharp teeth, and big ears.
• They have very good hearing but also use echolocation.
Shrew
• Shrews need to eat their own weight in food each day! • They will even attack and kill animals that are bigger than
they are. • Some species of shrew are venomous and have a
poisonous bite.
Shrew Scientific Name
• Sorex cinereus (Masked Shrew)
Hedgehog
• The hedgehog is a small, noisy animal whose hair is modified into stiff, spiky spines on the upper part of its body.
• They are native to Africa, Asia, and Europe. • They can live in a wide variety of habitats. • Hedgehogs will hibernate in very cold climates and
aestivate in hot deserts. • They have a lifespan of about 5 years in captivity.
Hedgehog
• The hedgehog was named because of its odd foraging methods.
• They will root through hedges and other undergrowth looking for food.
• As it picks its way through the hedges, it makes a pig-like grunt—so the name “hedgehog.”
Hedgehog
• If attacked, the hedgehog will curl up into a prickly ball that is almost impossible to attack.
• They will usually sleep in this position during the day and awaken at night to hunt.
Hedgehog
• Hedgehogs are also solitary animals. • They will only get with other hedgehogs to mate. • Young hedgehogs only stay with their mothers about 4-7
weeks. • Females must guard against male hedgehogs, who will
sometimes eat the young babies. • Mothers have also been known to eat their young if the
nest has been disturbed.
Hedgehog Scientific Name
• Erinaceus albiventris (Common Hedgehog)
Mole
• The mole is a burrowing mammal with substantial claws. • It lives underground for most of its life. • There are about 30 species of mole found worldwide.
Mole
• Moles live in a variety of habitats, including fields, woodlands, swampy land, river banks, and deserts.
• Moles have a lifespan of about 3 years in the wild. • Some moles are very good swimmers.
Mole
• Moles have tiny eyes and are virtually blind. • They have a great sense of touch which is helped by
sensory bumps on the snout, sensory whiskers on the face, and sensory hairs on the feet and tail.
• They have shovel-shaped, five-toed, thick-clawed feet that are very efficient at burrowing.
• Many moles have a long, powerful tail.
Mole
• Moles eat their own weight in food each day. • They eat insects, earthworms, some small mice, and some
other small animals. • They find prey primarily using their sense of touch.
Mole Scientific Name
• Scalopus aquaticus (Eastern Mole)
Tenrec
• Tenrecs are found on Madagascar and other nearby islands.
• There are about 20 species of tenrec.
Tenrec
• They range in length from about 1-15 inches, not including the tail.
• Most species are some shade of brown on top, with lighter undersides.
• Many species have prickly spines covering their bodies. • Some species, such as the streaked tenrec, have stripes
formed by rows of yellow spines.
Tenrec
• Tenrecs have long snouts that they use to forage for food. • Their diet consists mainly of insects and worms, but they
will also eat plant material.
Tenrec
• Some tenrecs live in trees; some live in water; others live underground like moles.
• Female tenrecs, unlike most mammals, have lots of babies at one time.
• They can bear more than 10 young. • Some can even have up to 23 in one litter!!
Tenrec
• Newborn tenrecs are usually naked and blind. • They will usually develop at different rates. • Usually, a few hours after birth, the newborns can crawl
like lizards. • Within about 2 ½ weeks, babies are able to move around
quickly in the nest. • They are completely dependent on their mothers for food
during their early weeks.
Tenrec Scientific Name
• Tenrec ecaudatus (Common Tenrec)
Final Point!!!• Which insectivore would you be and why?