Christmas Island Shrew
Crocidura trichura
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Island_shrew
Overview
The Christmas Island shrew, also known as the Christmas Island musk-shrew, is an extinct species of shrew from Christmas Island. It was variously placed as subspecies of the Asian gray shrew or the Southeast Asian shrew, but morphological differences and the great distances between the distribution of these species indicate that the Christmas Island shrew was a distinct species.
The Christmas Island Shrew faces severe threats primarily from habitat destruction and degradation caused by invasive species and human activities on Christmas Island. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to any environmental changes, with invasive ants, cats, and habitat clearing for development posing the greatest risks to its survival.
Habitat
The Christmas Island shrew was a terrestrial animal that occupied tall plateau rainforests with deep soil, as well as the shallow soil of terrace rainforests. It remains unknown if the species could live in secondary growth. This shrew fed primarily on small beetles and used holes in rocks and tree roots for shelter.
Other threatened species in Soricidae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Christmas Island Shrew classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Christmas Island Shrew live?
What are the main threats to Christmas Island Shrew?
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