Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Eulipotyphla
- Family
- Soricidae
- Genus
- Episoriculus
Habitat
This shrew inhabits moist, forested regions in the eastern Himalayas, including Nepal, India, and Myanmar, at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 meters. It prefers areas with dense undergrowth, leaf litter, and proximity to streams or wet environments. They are adaptable to both primary forests and secondary growth.
Diet
Hodgson's brown-toothed shrew primarily eats insects such as beetles and ants, along with earthworms and other invertebrates. It forages actively at night using its acute sense of smell, often hunting in leaf litter or soil. They may occasionally consume small amounts of plant material if prey is scarce.
Behavior
These shrews are solitary and territorial, marking their areas with scent glands and avoiding others of their kind except during mating. They are primarily nocturnal, spending the day in burrows or under logs, and exhibit high activity levels with constant foraging due to their rapid metabolism. They are agile climbers and swimmers, helping them evade threats in their habitat.
Conservation Status
The IUCN classifies Hodgson's brown-toothed shrew as Least Concern, with a stable population trend. Major threats include habitat loss from deforestation and climate change in the Himalayan region.