Etruscan Shrew: The Smallest Animal in the World

What is the smallest animal in the world? According to the National Institutes of Health and several other credible organizations that know a lot more about biology than we do, the Etruscan shrew is the tiniest and also one of the fastest of the over 4,000 mammals known in the animal kingdom today.

Also known as the White-toothed Pygmy Shrew, this mole-like creature weighs in at a mere 2 grams. That’s not even a full ounce! For body length, it stretches to about 4cm or 1.6 inches, which means its entire body could stretch out comfortably on the average human finger.

Despite its minuscule size, it can eat nearly double its own body weight each day and has hooked teeth that allow them to better grab onto its prey, which consists of mostly insects, anthropoids, and earthworms.

Want to see the world’s smallest animal in action? Check out this amazing video of the Etruscan shrew by 3 Minutes Nature.