Nocturnal animal, hiding during day. Carnivorous, feeding on insects and other invertebrates such as slugs and snails. Territorial and large solitary species. The breeding season occur from August to April. Female gives birth to a litter of one to seven naked young after a gestation period of 28 to 36 days. African giant shrew can live for four years.
African giant shrew is the largest Egyptian species in this genus. Upperparts dark-brown, flanks silver and underparts dark-gray. Snout pointed. Eyes small and beady. Ears large, free of hairs, and with a distinct internal fold. Tail long, hairless, darker than upperparts and with bristles scattered on proximal two-thirds. Feet vary in color from grayish to brown.
Localized (Nile Delta and El Faiyum).
The African giant shrew found in farms and farm ditches or wells which almost dry out in summer, also in moist areas with heavy vegetation including canal embankments, irrigated fields, and cultivated areas.
Length: 106–135 mm.
Native, resident.
The greater red musk shrew (Crocidura flavescens) is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Eswatini. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, temperate grassland, and rural gardens. Like most shrew species, C. flavenscens is nocturnal. The greater red musk shrew is considered to be asocial and territorial, with males using scent marking to establish their territory. Males appear to be more aggressive than females, and their aggression increases with greater population density.[2]
The greater red musk shrew (Crocidura flavescens) is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Eswatini. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, temperate grassland, and rural gardens. Like most shrew species, C. flavenscens is nocturnal. The greater red musk shrew is considered to be asocial and territorial, with males using scent marking to establish their territory. Males appear to be more aggressive than females, and their aggression increases with greater population density.
