The threatened habitat of the golden-rumped elephant shrew
Learn about the golden-rumped elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus).
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Transcript
This is East Africa's last coastal forest, covering more than 400 square kilometers. Once this jungle stretched from Somalia to Mozambique. Now all that remains is here in East African Kenya. This lush jungle is one of Mother Nature's true treasure chests that is home to both elephants and their miniature counterparts, the golden-rumped elephant shrew.
Golden-rumped elephant shrews are rarely spotted and a source of great mystery to zoologists and others. Their appearance is so distinctive that they are categorized as their own genus. Even their name is unusual, Sengi, a word from the Bantu language that zoologists have adopted for this animal. A closer look can leave one thinking that Mother Nature couldn't quite make up her mind about what this animal should be. Golden-rumped elephant shrews have a rat's tail. When standing, they are as tall as a rabbit and they have golden fur on their hindquarters. All this is topped off by an elephant trunk.
For many Africans, the golden-rumped elephant shrew is a welcome addition to a sparse diet. But these animals are also a tourist attraction and the flagship of the Arabuko rainforest. Several thousand tourists a year pay to go on safaris in search of them. This has made the golden-rumped elephant shrew a symbol for the protection of the forest. Arabuko Sokoke National Park is a model for environmental protection in Africa. Its inhabitants can sustain themselves from the forest without damaging it. With more than 600 plant species and hundreds of various animal species, the forest is a biodiversity hot spot and a natural heritage site. Kenya has designated the forest as a national park. While most visitors don't get a glimpse of the shy shrew, this small creature makes up a large part of the park's appeal. But the golden-rumped elephant shrew's habitat in the Arabuko National Park is now threatened by human settlements constantly encroaching on their territory. The forest and its animals are subjected to pressure from all sides.
Golden-rumped elephant shrews are rarely spotted and a source of great mystery to zoologists and others. Their appearance is so distinctive that they are categorized as their own genus. Even their name is unusual, Sengi, a word from the Bantu language that zoologists have adopted for this animal. A closer look can leave one thinking that Mother Nature couldn't quite make up her mind about what this animal should be. Golden-rumped elephant shrews have a rat's tail. When standing, they are as tall as a rabbit and they have golden fur on their hindquarters. All this is topped off by an elephant trunk.
For many Africans, the golden-rumped elephant shrew is a welcome addition to a sparse diet. But these animals are also a tourist attraction and the flagship of the Arabuko rainforest. Several thousand tourists a year pay to go on safaris in search of them. This has made the golden-rumped elephant shrew a symbol for the protection of the forest. Arabuko Sokoke National Park is a model for environmental protection in Africa. Its inhabitants can sustain themselves from the forest without damaging it. With more than 600 plant species and hundreds of various animal species, the forest is a biodiversity hot spot and a natural heritage site. Kenya has designated the forest as a national park. While most visitors don't get a glimpse of the shy shrew, this small creature makes up a large part of the park's appeal. But the golden-rumped elephant shrew's habitat in the Arabuko National Park is now threatened by human settlements constantly encroaching on their territory. The forest and its animals are subjected to pressure from all sides.