Mduma's shrew (''Crocidura mdumai'') is a species of

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

in the family Soricidae. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

Etymology

It is named after Tanzanian conservationist Simon Mduma, in honor of his efforts in studying the

Serengeti The Serengeti ( ) ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa, spanning northern Tanzania. The protected area within the region includes approximately of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serengeti ...

ecosystem.

Distribution and habitat

It is restricted to Tanzania, where it is only found in the forests of the

Ngorongoro Crater The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (, ) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, west of Arusha City in Arusha Region, within the Crater Highlands geological area of northern Tanzania. The area is nam ...

. Its habitat includes montane forests on the edge of the Ngorongoro caldera and drier forests on the southeastern slope.

Description

The holotype had a length from head to rump of 81 mm and a tail of 59 mm. It has dark brown fur on the back and dark gray on the belly.

Status

This species is considered

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

due to habitat loss from

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

due to smallholder farming in the Ngorongoro crater.

References

Crocidura Endemic fauna of Tanzania Mammals of Tanzania Mammals described in 2015 {{Taxonbar, from=Q27902019