World's Smallest Animals
1,273World's Smallest Animals
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Animals come in various shapes and sizes. While some are enormous, others can easily fit into tiny holes to escape predators. Even though we can't find them, it is best to have a peep at their lives to see what they're up to when no one is watching. So, while we think bigger is better, it isn't always the case for wildlife. Take a front seat and relax as I take you through the lives of ten of the smallest world creatures.
10. American Shrew
The American Shrew mole is the smallest mole species on our planet. The tiny mammal is only 4.72 inches long and weighs around .35 ounces. It does not have external ears and has almost invisible eyes. They are found in the U.S and Canada's British Columbia. Aside from their total body size, their paws are the smallest of all the mole species. They travel in groups of 11 or more and spend more time above the ground than their counterparts.
This animal is active throughout the day and even at night. They hunt by smell and touch while digging through loose soil and leaf litter on the ground. Their diet consists of invertebrates like beetle larvae, centipedes, earthworms, slugs, or sow bugs. What's even crazier about this shrew is how they bite off their prey's head and eat only their internal organs. It is said that they are one of the most generous in the animal kingdom as they share their food with other shrews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc1oHeOyIj4
9. Pen-Tailed Tree Shrew
The Pen-Tailed Tree shrew is the smallest tree shrew globally, weighing as low as 1.41ounce and measuring only 5 inches. This animal is distinct from the elephant and tree shrews, as many people would rather confuse them. These minuscule creatures are related to primates so much that there is an endless debate about their actual class. To quell the controversy, this animal is in a class of its own. That is, their order is Scandentia. The Pen-Tailed Tree Shrew is the only member of its genus.
Also known as a party animal, the creature feeds mainly on fermented alcohol from Bertram's palm. It consumes an average of 12 beers a day but never gets intoxicated. It is unclear how they metabolize alcohol, but researchers suspect that they are much more efficient than humans. That is, they are experts at living with alcohol, a feat humans can only wish to achieve. It also consumes insects like small geckos, which it grabs with its mouth and uses its hand to move the food as it consumes it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt2ckFI2xwc
8. Pygmy Marmoset
You may have loosely heard someone refer to one animal as a pocket monkey. Well, the Pygmy Marmoset was nicknamed that because it can easily fit into your breast pocket. These adorable creatures are native to the Amazon rainforest and are the world's most miniature monkeys. It is hard to imagine a monkey this small, but yea, they are living their awesome reality. These creatures hardly grow longer than 5.3 inches long and do not weigh more than 4.0 ounces. Do you still think it is unfit to refer to them as pocket monkeys?
Their diet is as tiny as their size. They use their sharp teeth and nails to dig holes in trees and east the gums, raisins, and sap found in trees. They also consume small insects. Evolutionary biologists from the University of Salford recently confirmed that the Pygmy Marmoset comes in two species. The first one lives north of the Amazon river, while the second one lives in the South.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN6A3sB8WmQ
7. Long-Tailed Planigale
The Long-Tailed Planigale is native to Australia and is the world's smallest marsupial. They weigh less than 15 ounces and manage to average 2.3 inches, including the tail. Their flattened heads and small size allow them to squeeze the ages into cracks and crevices to the envy of other mammals. This skill enables them to find food and hide from predators. They also navigate these crevices so effortlessly that you'll wonder if they were made for it.
These carnivores hunt insects like crickets and grasshoppers and even animals almost their size. The natural predators of this animal range from snakes, domestic cats, and cane toads. Mating occurs all year round, but it reaches its peak during the wet season. Little is known about their pregnancy except that they stop procreating after eight babies. Younger animals get ready to live independently after three months, but they hide in the grass until then. The long-tailed planigale can survive for more than a year in the wild.