Short-tailed shrew

 

Though she be but little, she is fierce! Meet one of North America's smallest mammals, the short-tailed shrew. And they have a secret: they're venomous! Their vision is poor so they bumble around using their sensitive whiskers to find food. This one nearly climbed in my back pocket while I was sitting on the trail to photograph it.

The shrew's saliva contains an enzyme similar to venom produced by Gila monsters and Mexican beaded lizards that immobilizes prey. When you are just a couple inches long, it's best not to take any chances with your dinner!

Shrews spend a lot of time scurrying in the liminal space between the dirt and the leaf litter. If you're quiet enough on windless days, you sometimes can find them by listening for the telltale rustling in the leaves, which is how I photographed these tiny charmers.