Wildlife
Rufous elephant shrews are small mouse-like animals found on the plains, savannas and forest floors of east Africa. Their long mobile snouts can be moved around much like an elephant's trunk in their endless search for ants, termites and worms. These shrews are escape specialists: they make a series of pathways away from their nests which they shoot down rapidly at the first signs of a predator.
Scientific name: Elephantulus rufescens
Rank: Species
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Mental maps
The sengi creates and maps intricate foraging and escape routes.
Sengi were once called elephant shrews, but there’s nothing slow and lumbering about these tiny mammals. With their legs positioned directly under their bodies, the agile rufous sengi can easily outrun the lumbering savannah monitor lizard.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Rufous elephant shrew can be found in a number of locations including: Africa. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Rufous elephant shrew distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Population trend: Stable
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The rufous elephant shrew or rufous sengi (Elephantulus rufescens) is a species of elephant shrew in the Macroscelididae family. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
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Monogamous
Active at birth
Adapted to running
Territorial
Viviparous