7 Smallest Mammals in the World

7 Smallest Mammals in the World<br /><br />https://art.tn/view/735/en/7_smallest_mammals_in_the_world/<br /><br />Small mammals can occupy ecological niches that are inaccessible to larger animals, and their petite frames make it easier to hide undetected, burrow into minor crevices, or climb upon the flimsiest of branches.<br />They're also incredibly cute. Here's our list of some of the world's smallest mammals.<br /><br />Pygmy Marmoset<br />Occasionally referred to as the "pocket monkey" because they can easily fit into your breast pocket, these adorable, curious animals native to the Amazon rainforest are the world's smallest monkeys. It's hard to imagine a monkey getting any smaller; pygmy marmosets rarely exhibit a length greater than about 5.35 inches and typically weigh 4.2 ounces.<br /><br />Pygmy Possum<br />Ranging in length between 2 and 4 inches and often weighing barely over .35 ounces, these mini marsupials are found hanging upside down in trees in Australia and New Guinea.<br />This species has a limited habitat in the alpine areas of Australia. Ski resorts, road construction, and extensive bushfires have led to habitat destruction.<br /><br />Least Weasel<br />This finicky, wise little weasel is the smallest species of the Carnivora order, making it the tiniest true carnivore in the world. North American least weasel males only reach 7 inches, and the females grow to 5 inches. It weighs less than 1.5 ounces.<br />It might be hard to imagine something so small being such a cunning hunter, but the lesser weasel is the worst nightmare of any small rodent it encounters. They exhibit a much bigger, more ferocious personality than their small size might suggest.<br /><br />Mouse Lemurs<br />These adorable creatures are the world's smallest primates, measuring up to 11 inches in length including their tails. The smallest species is the Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, which measures just about 3.62 inches in length and weighs only about an ounce.<br />These softball-sized omnivores eat alone and mostly dine on "honeydew," a sugary byproduct of insect digestion. However, despite spending their foraging time alone, they do sleep with other mouse lemurs about half the time.<br /><br />Bumblebee Bat<br />The bumblebee bat, also known as Kitti's hog-nosed bat, is the world's smallest bat and the smallest mammal in the world based on skull size. Weighing around .07 ounces (less than a penny) and with a length of 1.14 inches, it's so small that you might confuse one for a bumblebee if it went buzzing by your ear in the night.<br />Unfortunately, its delicate size is also indicative of its biological status. The IUCN lists the animal as near threatened, and a few roosting populations are at risk of extinction due primarily to human activity.<br /><br />Pygmy Jerboa<br />Pygmy jerboas make up the rodent subfamily Cardiocraniinae and are the smallest rodents in the world. Their bodies start at 1.6 inches long and they have tails up to 3 inches long.<br />For their size, these minuscule mammals sure can jump. Jerboas have kangaroo-like legs that allow them to leap distances far exceeding their body lengths, an adaptation that helps them move quickly over the vast, arid deserts in Northern Africa and Asia that they call home.<br /><br />Etruscan Shrew<br />There are many tiny shrews, but this pipsqueak takes the cake as the smallest. The Etruscan shrew is the smallest mammal in the world by mass. On average, it weighs less than .14 ounces and has a body length of about 1.57 inches.<br />For such a tiny animal, however, it has a huge appetite — it typically eats about twice its own body weight every day.<br /><br />