Why do shrew moles spend more time aboveground than typical moles?

Shrew moles spend more time aboveground than typical moles because they are much less specialized for a strictly subterranean lifestyle. Unlike typical moles, which possess broad, spadelike claws and cylindrical bodies optimized for aggressive, deep-tunnel excavation, shrew moles have small hands and claws that resemble those of shrews.1

Because of these anatomical differences, shrew moles forage along shallow, trough-like pathways through leaf litter and the top layer of soft soil rather than relying exclusively on deep, complex tunnel systems. Their physical structure allows them to move more easily across the surface, and in the case of the American shrew mole, they are even capable of climbing.1