insectivores library

Insectivores are carnivorous mammals that survive by eating almost nothing but small insects. Insectivores include bats, frogs, lizards and anteaters.

Featured Article: Sloth

Sloth, an extremely slow-moving mammal native to the forests of Central and South America. See more »

Anteater

Anteater

Anteater, any of several species of toothless animals that feed chiefly on ants and termites.

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Armadillo

Armadillo

Armadillo, a small mammal, related to the anteater and sloth, that is protected by armorlike bony plates.

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Elephant Shrew

Elephant Shrew

Elephant Shrew, a family of small mammals found in Africa. The family is made up of four genera and about 15 species.

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Hedgehog

Hedgehog

Hedgehog, or Urchin, a small insect-eating mammal related to the mole and shrew. Of the 15 species of hedgehogs, most are found in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

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Aardvark

Aardvark, an African mammal. The name means “earth pig” in Afrikaans and refers to its resemblance to a pig and to its habit of digging.

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Desman

Desman, an aquatic, insect-eating mammal. Desmans are from 9 to 17 inches (23 to 43 cm) long, including a 5- to 8-inch (13- to 20--cm) tail.

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Echidna

Echidna, or Spiny Anteater, an egg-laying mammal closely related to the duckbill platypus.

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Edentata

Edentata, the former name of an order of mammals that includes anteaters, armadillos, and sloths.

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Ground Sloth

Ground Sloth, an extinct American sloth related to the anteater and tree sloth of today.

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Mole

Mole, a small insect-eating mammal related to the shrew. It lives in underground burrows and is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

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Pangolin

Pangolin, or Scaly Anteater, a mammal native to southern Asia and Africa. The top of the pangolin's head and its back, tail, and legs are covered with horny, sharp-edged, overlapping scales.

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Shrew

Shrew, a small predatory mammal of the family Soricidae. There are about 250 species.

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Sloth

Sloth, an extremely slow-moving mammal native to the forests of Central and South America.

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Solenodon

Solenodon, a mammal that somewhat resembles a shrew. There are only two species - one found in Cuba, the other on Hispaniola.

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Tenrec

Tenrec, a mammal found on Madagascar and nearby islands. There are about 20 species, including the common tenrec, the streaked tenrec, and various species of rice tenrecs and long-tailed tenrecs.

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Tree Shrew

Tree Shrew, or Tupaya, a family of tree-dwelling, squirrel-shaped mammals found in India and the mainland and islands of southeast Asia.

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