Golden-rumped elephant shrews have a commensal relationship with red-capped robin-chats (Cossypha natalensis). These birds will follow an elephant shrew through the forest and feed on the bits of invertebrates that are left in their wake.
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
IUCN: Vulnerable. The coastal forest where these animals live is being cleared for agriculture. They are protected in 44 hectares of the Gedi Historical Monument in Kenya.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: endangered
none
Some northern Kenyans trap and eat Elephant Shrews.
Insectivorous. The elephant shrew uses its long, flexible nose to overturn leaf-litter where it finds and eats a wide variety of invertebrates including earthworms, millipedes, insects and spiders.
Restricted to remaining pockets of suitable forest in coastal Kenya.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
Lives in moist, dense, coastal scrub forest and in lowland semi-deciduous forest along coastal Kenya.
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; scrub forest
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 4.0 years.
Golden-rumped elephant shrews, like all elephant shrews, have a long, flexible snout. They are distinguished from other elephant shrews by their golden rump patch and grizzled gold forehead. There is an area of thickened skin (a dermal shield) under the rump patch. This dermal shield is thicker in males than in females and is thought to provide protection from the biting attacks of hostile males. The feet, ears, and legs are black. The tail is black, execpt the distal 1/3 which is white with a black tip. The fur is fine, stiff and glossy; the ears are naked; the tail is sparsely furred. All elephant shrews are semi-digitigrade (i.e. they walk on their finger/toe-tips). Golden-rumped elephant shrews have sexually dimorphic canines (6.6mm in males; 4.6mm in females). It is thought that males use these canines in attacks on other males during territory defense. Measurements: Total Length: 526mm; Tail: 243mm; Hind Foot: 74mm; Ear: 34mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Average mass: 540 g.
Golden-Rumped Elephant Shrews breed throughout the year. Females give birth to a single young after a 42 day gestation period. Young remain in the nest for two weeks and emerge fully weaned. After emerging, the young follows its mother on her foraging runs but becomes completely independent after about 5 days. The young remains on its parents' home range until it defines its own range (5-20 weeks post emergence). Elephant shrews live an average of 4-5 years.
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
Average birth mass: 80 g.
Average gestation period: 42 days.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 38 days.
