| Rufous Elephant Shrew | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Common Name | East African Long-eared Elephant-shrew and Rufous Sengi |
| Range | Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, but is most common in southern Africa, particularly Namibia and the Cape province of South Africa. |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Macroscelidea |
| Family | Macroscelididae |
| Genus | Elephantulus |
| Species | Elephantulus rufescens |
| Conservation Status | |
 Least Concern | |
The Rufous elephant shrew (Elephantulus rufescens), also known as the East African long-eared elephant-shrew and Rufous sengi, is a species of elephant shrew in the Macroscelididae family. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, but is most common in southern Africa, particularly Namibia and the Cape province of South Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Characteristics[]
Elephantulus rufescens exhibited no secondary dimorphism. Its probosis is long and flexible. The species' tails are dark-brown and can be long up to the its head-to-tail length. Females Elephantulus refescens have three pair of teats and the males have internal testes. Both adults and juveniles Elephantulus rufescens are the same in color. However, adults Elephantulus rufescens have white feet while juveniles' feet are brown.
Ecology, Diet, and Behavior[]
Elephantulus rufescens are active throughout the day, with peaks in activity at dusk and dawn while having a midday rest. The males usually spend most of their time cleaning the foraging trails. Except for foraging, all activities are done in these trails. Trails act as an important measure for escaping from predators. Insects form the major food resource of their diet in the dry season, while seeds are consumed during periods of rain.
Elephantulus rufescens are found to be fairly monogamous, however, members of a monogamous pair spend little time together and are limited in social interaction. They live in a matriarch society in which the female of the monogamous pair usually dominates the male.