Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Eulipotyphla
- Family
- Soricidae
- Genus
- Cryptotis
Habitat
This species inhabits high-elevation grasslands, forests, and páramo ecosystems in the Andes mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, typically at altitudes between 2,000 and 4,000 meters. It prefers moist, vegetated areas with plenty of cover and invertebrates for foraging.
Diet
The Wandering Small-eared Shrew primarily eats insects such as beetles and ants, along with earthworms and other small invertebrates. It forages actively at night using its keen sense of smell, consuming food frequently due to its high metabolic rate.
Behavior
This shrew is solitary and nocturnal, spending its active hours foraging for food in leaf litter or under rocks. It exhibits territorial behavior, defending small areas with scent marking, and has a rapid, darting movement to evade threats. Due to its high energy needs, it is constantly active and rarely rests for long periods.
Conservation Status
The IUCN status of the Wandering Small-eared Shrew is Data Deficient due to limited data on population size and trends, but habitat loss from agriculture and mining in the Andes poses potential threats.