About Crocidura leucodon (Hermann, 1780)
The bicoloured white-toothed shrew, Crocidura leucodon, has a head and body length of 2.5 to 3.5 inches (64 to 89 mm), and a tail that is also 2.5 to 3.5 inches (64 to 89 mm) long. Its weight ranges from approximately 7 to 13 grams (0.25 to 0.46 oz). It has short, dense dark brown fur covering its upper body, and white fur on its underbody, with a sharp dividing line separating the two colour regions. This shrew has a long, pink muzzle, white teeth, and ears that project out through its fur. Its tail is sparsely covered with slightly longer hairs. Young individuals of this species are noticeably paler in colour. These shrews frequently produce a loud, shrill twittering chatter. This species occurs in eastern, central and southern Europe, and is absent from south western France, the Iberian Peninsula, and southern Italy. It is also native to Crimea, the Caucasus, Turkestan, and Iran. In the Alps, it can be found at altitudes up to 3,300 feet (1,000 m). Its preferred habitats include pastureland, cultivated fields, gardens, hedgerows, and rubble and rubbish heaps. It will sometimes move into buildings to shelter during winter, and it actively avoids damp locations.
