Four-toed Elephant Shrew - Physical Characteristics

Physical Characteristics

A four-toed elephant shrew has long, soft fur and its color varies from greyish pale brown to dark brown with white rings around its eyes, and wide dark stripes on its back.

Markings of the four-toed elephant shrew vary in colour: the upper parts of its feet are brownish-yellow; its ears are dark brown, with pure white hair on the base of the inner margin; the tail is black on the upper side and pale yellow-brown on the underside, darkening in the middle and almost black at tip. The four-toed elephant shrew has a long, pointed, flexible and sensitive snout, which it uses to hunt. It also has short forelimbs and long back limbs.

The differences between the regular elephant shrew and the four-toed elephant shrew can be seen in facial features, body length and weight. Compared to the regular elephant shrew, which has small eyes and ears, a four-toed elephant shrew has broad, upstanding ears and large eyes. The elephant shrew generally varies in size from about 10 to 30 cm (3.9 - 11.8 in). However, the body length of the four-toed elephant shrew is less variable, 19 to 23 cm (7.5 - 9.0 in). Similarily, the tail length of the regular elephant shrew is 8.0 to 26.5 cm (3.2 - 10.4 in), while tail length of the four-toed species is 15.5 to 17 cm (6.0 - 6.7 in).

The elephant shrew is a small mammal weighing from 45 to 540 g (1.6 - 18.9 oz), while the four-toed elephant shrew is one of largest elephant shrews, weighing between 160 and 280 g (5.6 - 9.9 oz).