Top 10 Smallest Mammals In The World
In the biological world, it would appear that being larger would be preferable. And while it is true that bigger often means stronger, which means it can outcompete smaller species, it also means that more resources are needed to keep the extra mass going, so you can forget about being invisible.
Smaller animals are better at hiding, getting into tight spaces, climbing on thin branches, and filling ecological voids that larger animals simply cannot.
They are also adorable. A one-ounce lemur or a bat that is only slightly larger than a human fingernail?
Learn about 10 of the smallest mammals on earth.
You might also be interested in the top 10 smallest animals from different species and types.
Top 10 Smallest Mammals In The World
- Etruscan Shrew
- Pygmy Jerboa
- Bumblebee Bat
- Mouse Lemur
- Least Weasel
- Pygmy Possum
- African Pygmy Mouse
- Pygmy Marmoset
- Long-Tailed Planigale
- American Shrew Mole
1. Etruscan Shrew
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Although there are numerous tiny shrews, this pipsqueak is the smallest. By mass, the Etruscan shrew is the world's smallest mammal. By and large, it weighs under .14 ounces and has a body length of around 1.57 inches.1
For such a little creature, in any case, it has a gigantic craving, commonly eating about two times its own body weight consistently.
2. Pygmy Jerboa
The world's smallest rodent, pygmy jerboas belong to the cardiocraniinae subfamily of rodents. These tiny mammals have tails up to three inches long and a body length of two to three inches.2 For their small size, they can jump. Jerboas are adapted to move quickly across the vast, arid deserts of Northern Africa and Asia that they call home thanks to their kangaroo-like legs, which enable them to leap distances far exceeding their body lengths.
3. Bumblebee Bat
The world's smallest bat and the mammal with the smallest skull size is the bumblebee bat, also known as Kitti's hog-nosed bat. It is so small that if it buzzed by your ear in the night, you might mistake it for a bumblebee because it weighs less than a penny and measures 1.14 inches in length.3 Unfortunately, its delicate size is also indicative of its biological status.
The animal is considered to be in close proximity to extinction by the IUCN, and a few roosting populations are in danger of extinction primarily because of human activity.
4. Mouse Lemurs
The world's smallest primate, Mouse Lemurs measure up to 11 inches long, including their tails, making them adorable.
The Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is the smallest species, ranging in size from about 3.5 to 4.3 inches and weighing less than an ounce.5
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These omnivores of softball size eat on their own and primarily consume honeydew, a sugary byproduct of insect digestion.
They do, however, sleep with other mouse lemurs about half of the time, despite spending their foraging time alone.
5. Least Weasel
The shrewd, finicky Least Weasel is the world's tiniest true carnivore because it is the smallest species in the Carnivora order. The male North American least weasel only grows to seven inches, while the females reach five inches.
The lesser weasel is the worst nightmare of any small rodent it encounters, even though it weighs less than 1.5 ounces.6 It might be difficult to imagine something so small being such a cunning hunter. They are much larger and more ferocious than their diminutive size suggests.
6. Pygmy Possum
In Australia and New Guinea, pygmy possums can be found hanging upside down from trees. These miniature marsupials can be anywhere from two to four inches long and frequently weigh just over.35 ounces.
One species, the Mountain Pygmy Possum, is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.7 This species only has a small amount of habitat in Australia's alpine regions. Habitat destruction has been caused by road construction, extensive bushfires, and ski resorts.
Arsenic from pesticides in breeding grounds is transported to the mountain by the migratory Bogong moth, which consumes a significant portion of its diet. Scientists think this is one reason why the population is shrinking.
7. The African pygmy mouse
Exemplifies the pygmy mouse's diminutive size, which is well-known among mice. It is the smallest mouse in the world, ranging in size from 1.2 to 3.1 inches and weighing as little as.11 ounces.8 Because it is so small, it typically keeps hydrated by licking the dew off the tiny pebbles it cleverly stacks in front of its burrow.
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These elfin mice are kept by some people as entertaining pets. However, due to their extreme fragility, owners are required to refrain from handling them.
8. Dwarf Marmoset
Sporadically alluded to as the pocket monkey, these lovable, inquisitive creatures local to the Amazon rainforest are the world's littlest monkeys.
Pygmy marmosets rarely exceed 5.12 inches in length and weigh 4.37 ounces on average.
Their diet is as unique as their size. They utilize their sharp teeth and nails to gouge openings in trees and eat the sap, gum, and tars saw as inside. Additionally, they eat insects.
In February 2018, evolutionary biologists from the University of Salford announced that the pygmy marmoset is actually made up of two distinct species: one that lives in the south and the other in the north of the Amazon River.
9. Long-Tailed Planigale
The smallest marsupial in the world is the long-tailed planigale, which is native to Australia. They average 2.32 inches in length, including the tail, and weigh less than.15 ounces.
Because of their small size and flattened heads, planigales are able to squeeze into cracks and crevices that no other mammal could reach. They are able to find food and hide from predators thanks to this ability. As they maneuver through these cracks, they keep their pouches clean by pointing them toward the back.
These ferocious nighttime carnivores hunt insects and even young mammals that are nearly as large as they are.
10. American Shrew Mole
The American shrew mole is the world's smallest mole species. This small warm blooded animal measures 4.72 inches long, including the tail, and weighs around .35 ounces.12 The American vixen mole doesn't have outer ears and has microscopic eyes that are practically undetectable.
These adorable underground dwellers, which can be found in British Columbia, Canada, as well as the Northwest of the United States, share a trait with shrews: they have smaller front paws than most other moles. These moles travel in gatherings of at least 11 and invest more energy over the ground than different moles.
