When you mention venemous animals, most people think of snakes or scorpions. But there are also venomous animals that are mammals just like us! Shrews are surprisingly ferocious for their size; most are very small and the pygmy shrew rivals the bumblebee bat for the title of world’s smallest mammal. They look like long-nosed mice,
When you mention venemous animals, most people think of snakes or scorpions. But there are also venomous animals that are mammals just like us!
Shrews are surprisingly ferocious for their size; most are very small and the pygmy shrew rivals the bumblebee bat for the title of world’s smallest mammal. They look like long-nosed mice, but they’re actually more closely related to moles.
The shrew’s sharp teeth are great at shredding insects, but they’ve also been known to take on animals such as mice, which are bigger than the shrew! They can get away with it because some species of shrews are actually venomous: venom runs down grooves in the shrews’ teeth to stun or kill their prey.
Moles and solenodons are relatives of shrews, and both have species that are known to produce a venomous bite! European moles use their venom to paralyze earthworms so that they can eat them later!
Duck-billed platypuses are certainly unusual as one of the few mammals that lay eggs, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they also carry venom! Males use sharp spurs to deliver a dose of venom to attackers or rival males. Though strong enough to kill a dog, the venom doesn’t usually kill humans, although it is extremely painful.
Strangely enough, echidnas (the other egg-laying mammals) have the same spurs that platypuses do, but can’t produce any venom of their own!
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