Awesome Animal Fact - Hungry Shrew

Did you know the pygmy shrew can eat one and a quarter of its own body weight in one meal? They often eat three times their body weight every day.

These voracious little predators weigh less than an ounce, but they make up for it in fierceness and appetite. They hunt and eat spiders, insects, and isopods (woodlice).

Pygmy shrews are alway hungry, and they eat every 15 to 30 minutes, day and night. Their metabolism is so high that if they go a whole hour without eating, they will die. And they can't survive in temperatures above 77º F (25º C). There are two species, one in the northern parts of North America, the other in northern Europe and Asia.

These little shrews have the fastest heartbeat (1,200 beats per minute) of any mammal. They also have one of the shortest life spans (11 to 13 months). It's life in the fast lane for pygmy shrews. No time for resting, which is why they never sleep more than a few minutes at a time.

Photo Credits:
- Pygmy shrew - DepositPhotos