Today in Things I Didn’t Know Nature Did, we’re treated to this video of shrews in Russia forming a vast living centipede made entirely of shrews. Apparently, though, these caravans are the travel method of choice for shrews — at least when their den has been disturbed. Mom takes the lead, and every other shrew grabs its siblings butt and gets to marching. As far evolutionary tactics for survival, this is one of the more adorable we’ve seen.
According to The Mammal Society:
Young shrews are occasionally observed following their mother in a ‘caravan’. Each shrew grasps the base of the tail of the preceding shrew so that the mother runs along with a line of young trailing behind. This behaviour is often associated with disturbance of the nest and may also be used to encourage the young to explore their environment.
- This is why we don’t hunt mice with rifles.
- Fact: Shrews cannot vomit.
- Oh, good, we can create false memories in mice now
