Swamp musk shrew

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Swamp musk shrew — quick facts

The swamp musk shrew (Crocidura mariquensis) is a small mammal in the shrew family. It lives in southern Africa, in wetlands such as reed beds near rivers, lakes, and swamps. Its range includes Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and northeastern South Africa.

Size and look:
- Body length about 80 mm (3 in); tail about 60 mm (2.4 in). Males are a bit larger than females.
- Long, narrow head with a sharp snout, small eyes, and rounded ears.
- Fur on top is dark brown with rust tones; belly is lighter grey-brown. Tail is about 70% of body length and is brown.
- Feet are yellowish-brown to dark brown; some variation in color across its range.

Habitat and behavior:
- Needs wetland habitats and is common where suitable.
- Mainly active at night; climbs easily among aquatic plants. Not aggressive to other shrews and does not scent-mark its territory.

Diet and nesting:
- In captivity, it will eat snails and termites. In the wild, it forages among vegetation and does not dig for food.
- Nests have been found in grass tussocks and debris above the ground.

Breeding:
- Mostly breeds in the wet season. Litters typically have 3–4 young.

Predators:
- Preyed on by the southern fiscal (a bird), barn owl, and African grass owl.

Conservation status:
- IUCN lists the swamp musk shrew as Least Concern. It has a wide range, a large population, and no major threats are known.