American Pygmy Shrew

The American Pygmy Shrew is considered to be the smallest of all mammals and weighs about as much as a dime.

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The American Pygmy Shrew was discovered in 1831 by naturalist William Cane in Georgia Bay, Parry Sound.
They are considered the smallest of all mammals with a length of 3.5 inches, a tail of 1.2 inches and its weight being that similar to a dime.  They are found in Alaska, Canada and the Northern United States down through the Appalachian Mountains.  The American Pygmy Shrew is identified by its gray brown to reddish brown color and light under parts. Their fur turns grayer in winter and they have a distinctly bi-colored tail. They are completely blind and even though their sense of smell is not so good, they rely on it for protection. 

The American Pygmy Shrew is found in coniferous and deciduous forests and open wet area.  They forge in moist soil and dead leaves looking for insects, worms and small invertebrates.  They are active all year round, and primarily at night in burrows that are interwoven among the roots of old stumps and under fallen logs.  Predators of this shrew are hawks, owls, snakes and house cats.
In Britain it is illegal to kill a pigmy shrew without a license.

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