# Common Shrew (*Sorex araneus*)

> The common shrew (Sorex araneus) is a tiny, insect-eating mammal found in woodlands, gardens, and grasslands across Europe. Weighing just 5–15 g and measuring around 8 cm, it is one of the continent's smallest mammals, with a pointed snout, velvety fur, and a ferocious appetite. Shrews live fast and die young, rarely surviving beyond one to two years in the wild.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Common shrew across Britain, Europe, and western Russia in woodlands, gardens, and grassland.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/shrew/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Eulipotyphla
- **Family:** Soricidae
- **Genus:** Sorex

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Sorex araneus |
| Diet | Insectivore — insects, worms, slugs, and spiders |
| Habitat | Woodlands, gardens, and grassland across Europe |
| Lifespan | 1–2 years in the wild (rarely exceeds 2) |
| Weight | 5–15 g (0.005–0.015 kg); one of Europe's smallest mammals |
| Top speed | Up to 8 km/h (5 mph); constant active foraging |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## A relentless appetite

The common shrew has an extraordinarily fast metabolism and must eat almost constantly to stay alive. It consumes around 80–90 per cent of its own body weight in food every day and can starve to death in just a few hours without a meal. Shrews forage in short bursts around the clock, taking only brief naps between hunts. This punishing energy budget shapes almost everything about the animal's short, frantic life.

## Diet and hunting

Shrews are insectivores that hunt insects, earthworms, slugs, spiders, and other small invertebrates among leaf litter and soil. They rely heavily on smell, touch, and a fine sense of hearing rather than eyesight, which is poor. The common shrew has a mildly venomous bite, produced by its saliva, which helps subdue larger prey such as earthworms. Sharp, red-tipped teeth let it crunch through tough insect shells with ease.

## Territory and behaviour

Common shrews are solitary and fiercely territorial, defending their patch with loud, high-pitched squeaks when neighbours trespass. They spend much of their time in runways and tunnels through vegetation and leaf litter, moving with quick, restless energy at up to 8 km/h. Outside the brief breeding season, adults generally avoid one another. Their constant, twitchy activity reflects the need to keep finding food day and night.

## Breeding and short lives

Female shrews raise several litters between spring and late summer, each usually containing five to seven tiny young. The mother sometimes leads her weaned babies in a "caravan," each youngster gripping the tail of the one in front so the family moves as a chain. Young shrews grow quickly and are independent within weeks. Most adults die after a single breeding season, so few live more than a year or two.

## Role in the ecosystem

Despite its size, the common shrew is an abundant and important part of European woodland and grassland communities. As a voracious predator of insects, worms, and slugs, it helps keep invertebrate numbers in check across gardens and farmland. Shrews in turn are hunted by owls, weasels, and foxes, though many mammal predators reject them because of foul-tasting scent glands. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains widespread and common.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a shrew a rodent?

No. Although it looks a little like a mouse, the common shrew is not a rodent but an insectivore, belonging to a separate group of mammals. Its long pointed snout, tiny eyes, and sharp teeth set it apart from mice and voles.

### Why do shrews eat so much?

Shrews have an exceptionally fast metabolism and burn energy very quickly, so they must eat almost constantly. A common shrew eats around 80–90 per cent of its body weight each day and can starve within a few hours if it goes without food.

### Are shrews venomous?

The common shrew has a mildly venomous bite produced in its saliva, which helps it subdue prey such as earthworms. The venom is not dangerous to humans, though a bite from a handled shrew can sting.

### How long do shrews live?

Common shrews have very short lives, rarely surviving beyond one to two years in the wild. Most die after their first and only breeding season.

### What do shrews eat?

Shrews are insectivores that feed mainly on insects, earthworms, slugs, and spiders. They hunt almost constantly among leaf litter and soil, using smell and touch rather than sight to find prey.

### Do cats kill shrews but not eat them?

Often, yes. Cats frequently catch shrews but leave them uneaten because the shrews' scent glands make them taste unpleasant. Many wild predators avoid eating shrews for the same reason.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Sorex araneus.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Sorex%20araneus&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Sorex araneus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sorex_araneus/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/shrew/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.