Alpenspitzmaus vs cinereus shrew

Sorex alpinus compared with Sorex cinereus

Key Differences

• Alpenspitzmaus is Near Threatened while cinereus shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpenspitzmaus	cinereus shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class same	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order same	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family same	Soricidae	Soricidae
Genus same	Sorex	Sorex
Species	Sorex alpinus	Sorex cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

Alpenspitzmaus and cinereus shrew share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Sorex.

Conservation Status

Alpenspitzmaus

NT — Near Threatened

cinereus shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpenspitzmaus	cinereus shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpenspitzmaus

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

cinereus shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States.

Alpenspitzmaus

The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus) is a species in the genus Sorex. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

cinereus shrew

The cinereus shrew (Sorex cinereus), also known as the masked shrew, is a small insectivorous mammal in the family Soricidae, native to North America. It has one of the widest distributions of any North American shrew, ranging from Alaska and Canada south through the northern United States, with isolated populations in the Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains. It inhabits a broad range of habitats including moist forest, meadows, bogs, marshes, and brushy areas, where it hunts continuously for insects, earthworms, small vertebrates, fungi, and carrion to fuel its extremely rapid metabolism. Like all shrews, the cinereus shrew has a very high metabolic rate and must consume almost its own body weight in food daily. It is tiny—typically 3–5 grams—with dense gray-brown fur. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with abundant and widespread populations across the boreal and northern temperate zones. It is a major component of small mammal communities in northern forests and plays an important role in food webs as prey for owls, hawks, and weasels. The species reproduces rapidly, with multiple litters per year, helping sustain populations despite high predation pressure. It is entirely North American and does not occur in Europe.