The Houston Zoo welcomes a new species to the Natural Encounters building: two giant elephant shrews. Elephant shrews are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa. To plan your next trip to the zoo, visit www.houstonzoo.org
I realize now that I didn't actually know how cute an elephant shrew was in full, since I was always too preoccupied taking a closer look at that snout!
It's crazy how these trunks evolved ONCE and from there, all the rest of the line evolved into different forms. But it's one single line. That shows how complex and unique the adaptation is
Fun fact the elephant shrews are actually closer relatives to true elephants than to true shrews. They are members of Afrotheria, an order that includes a lot of mammals that evolved in Africa before the continent connected to Asia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrotheria
Very nice. I love this animal. My favourite type of shrew. Beautiful colors, elegant shape. Look at how thin the legs are and how the snout quivers. They've got some gnarly looking claws as well and such a beautiful dark eye.
They aren't shrews! Ironically they are in the same superorder as elephants, Afrotheria, so they are "more elephant" than "more shrew" on the tree of life. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrotheria
I fucking love the elephant shrew! It's so weird looking and cute and pretty and weird and I just can't get enough! I swear if these things ever go extinct, i'm raiding area 51 and nuking the human race. I just ugh i just can't!
Convergent evolution, son! Closer common ancestor to elephants, yet more similar morphology to mammals like shrews that occupy a similar niche. Just like how sharks and dolphins look similar and have similar adaptations to their shared environment, but dolphins are more closely related to giraffes than to sharks.
It’s actually a close relative of the elephant and not a shrew at all which is crazy considering it’s size. But then again there are monkeys that can fit in the palms of our hand, nature is truly amazing
i really like this elephant shrewi like the way that its snout, it is looking for things in the rock. what are you finding buddy? good boy! whos a good boy? it is so giant, and i hear its more elephant than shrew. they should call it the elehant shrew the way it kind of looks like if an elephant was a shrew! i love this animal very much im very happy what music do you think it listens to with those big ears and boy the things it must smell with its long ears and nose also. i love you elephantshrew keep sniffing every day you sniff every day. goodnight fellow snoutfreaks keeo on sniffing every day you sniff. GIANT ELEPHANT SHREWS!
what a extraordinary cute animal hope the predator dont get them. so cute. the insects need to be taken cared of thats good. think so cute and doing such a great job.
