Meet Etruscan Shrew: World's Lightest Animal
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
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The Etruscan shrew is the world's smallest mammal by mass, weighing around 1.8 grams on average.
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It's also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew, white-toothed pygmy shrew, or Savi's pygmy shrew
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Etruscan shrews are 20 times lighter than the average adult mouse. They have a body length of about 4 cm excluding the tail
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They live in abandoned olive groves and forest floors in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Central Asia
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They prefer warm and damp climates, and are adept hunters that can kill insects up to half their size
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They attack crickets from the side, selectively targeting the thorax
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They have a fast metabolism, eating about 1.5-2 times their own body weight per day
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Their heart rate can reach 1,200 beats per minute and their respiratory rate can exceed 800 breaths per minute
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