By Josie  April 20th, 2023

In the World

The Smallest Mammals

Mammals is probably the one category of animals that display the most diversity.

Let's explore the smallest mammals in the world:

What Is a Mammal?

All mammals give birth to live young and nurture them with milk from their mammary glands (yes, even whales!)

They are also endothermic  and have a four-chambered heart.

Another universal trait of mammals is the presence of a neocortex, which is a region in the brain.

Weighing less than an ounce, these tiny creatures are known for having the highest metabolic rate of any mammal.

1. Etruscan Shrew

By Lies Van Rompaey on iNaturalist – Photo 5133142 on iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52087801

They eat nearly their entire body weight in insects daily.

This tiny little thing lives in the forests of Madagascar.

2. Pygmy Mouse Lemur

It communicates with others of its kind through a series of high-pitched vocalizations that are both complex and varied.

It plays an essential role in its ecosystem – from helping to control insect populations to aiding in soil aeration.

3. Long-Tailed Chinchilla 

They have soft, luxurious fur and a long, bushy tail.

4. Elegant Fat-Tailed Mouse Opossum

This is is a small marsupial found in the western parts of South America.

By Cristián Larraguibel González y Luis Felipe Tapia Yanfka, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72640573

Despite its small size,it is a skilled predator that feeds mainly on insects and small vertebrates.

This small, insect-eating Bat is found across Europe and Asia and is known for its distinctive frequency-modulated echolocation calls.

5. Barbastelle Bat

It is a small bat with a body length of only 1,5-2 inches.

6. Philippine Tube-Nosed Bat

With its unique tube-shaped snout, this Bat has adapted to drink nectar from the flowers of the forest trees.

By Pxc06142 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65502838

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There's still three more teeny tiny mammals to uncover on our website!