Sherman's Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina shermani

NENot Evaluated
Southern short-tailed shrewAI-generated image: Sherman's short-tailed shrew pushing through oak leaf litter. No additional license-safe photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracyAI-generated image: Sherman's short-tailed shrew paused on sandy woodland soil. No additional license-safe photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domainSouthern short-tailed shrewAI-generated image No additional license-safe photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracySherman's short-tailed shrew pushing through oak leaf litterAI-generated image No additional license-safe photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracySherman's short-tailed shrew paused on sandy woodland soil

Sherman's short-tailed shrew is a poorly known burrowing mammal from southern Florida. It resembles other stout, dark short-tailed shrews, so location and careful measurements matter more than a quick view. Few verified records exist, and its status remains unsettled. Scattered observations mark documented finds, not abundance, population size, or proof that it is missing elsewhere.

US Range

IUCN Red List status

NE – Not Evaluated

Not yet assessed against IUCN Red List criteria.

Trophic relationshipsFood web What a Sherman's Short-tailed Shrew eats, and what eats it.
Eaten by3
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisAmerican CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosBarred OwlStrix varia
This speciesSherman's Short-tailed Shrew
beetlesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalisDekay's BrownsnakeStoreria dekayiMeadow VoleMicrotus pennsylvanicusRed-bellied SnakeStoreria occipitomaculata
Eats5

A sample of documented feeding relationships, filtered to species that also occur in the US. Diet and predators vary by region and season, and this is not a complete list, many animals eat, and are eaten by, more than what has been formally recorded here.

Commonly confused with

Animals people sometimes mistake for the sherman's short-tailed shrew, and how to tell them apart.

A shrew known from few places

Sherman’s short-tailed shrew has dense dark fur, tiny eyes, and a short tail. Broad feet and a pointed snout suit life in soil and leaf litter. Related shrews look similar, so close examination and location often decide an identification.

Hidden below ground cover

It hunts small animals in tunnels, litter, and tangled vegetation. Smell and touch matter more than sight. A fast metabolism means it must feed often, but its hidden routine makes ordinary sightings unlikely.

Nests lie under cover or below ground. Adults are generally solitary except during courtship and when females raise young. Details of breeding remain limited.

Why records are scarce

Verified reports come from a small part of southern Florida. Wetland change and development may affect suitable cover. Low totals also reflect how hard tiny underground mammals are to detect. Reports don’t show where the shrew is most abundant.

An unresolved status

The current record carries no settled IUCN assessment. Its narrow known range and uncertain history make careful surveys important. New evidence can clarify whether populations persist and which habitats support them.

Sources

  1. GBIF – Blarina shermani
  2. Wikidata – Blarina shermani
  3. Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI, CC0)

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources: