Peters’s sable is characterized by – like other species of sable – a conspicuously elongated snout resembling a proboscis, which is almost constantly in motion. The picture shows an almost two-month-old female. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Prague Zoo was the first in the country to breed black and rufous elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon petersi), small African mammals with a bizarre appearance. The two cubs born are the result of several years of breeding efforts. Although at first glance, breams may resemble rodents or shrews, within the ancient group of mammals Afrotheria, they are genetically closer to elephants, damans, or even rakes. This species of bercoun, which inhabits only a small area of Tanzania and Kenya, stands out from others with its rich color and size.
“Sensational breeding achievements are not necessarily represented by well-known and distinctive animals. Peters’s sable cubs are a shining example of this,” said the director of the Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek. “I believe that thanks to the current breeding, the charm of these fascinating creatures will reach another part of the public, and their new admirers will stop by the black and rufous elephant shrews on their way to see gorillas or elephants.”
The pair of cubs were born at the end of June, but only now can visitors see them up close in the Africa pavilion. As diurnal animals, they are active throughout the zoo’s opening hours. It was confirmed last week that they are male and female.
“At first, only the sounds and changes in the behavior of the female testified to the existence of the cubs. The parents raise their offspring in a nest, where breeders cannot easily observe them. Cubs are born furred and sighted, and their subsequent development is really remarkably fast – within a few weeks they switch to solid food and mature,” says Jaroslav Šimek, Zoological Deputy of the Prague Zoo.
The exposure of the black and rufous elephant shrews is full of vegetation and fallen leaves. In it, they are used to using their excellent sense of smell to look for food, especially invertebrates. They dig them out with their noticeably elongated moving snout resembling a proboscis. If they cannot grasp the prey in their teeth, they lick it with their tongue.
Both cubs can be easily observed in the indoor exhibit in the Africa pavilion up close. The picture shows a female in the front, a male in the back. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
“At night, black and rufous elephant shrews create a nest similar to a simple burrow, which they line with, for example, fallen leaves. After a few days, they start a new nest,” explains mammal curator Pavel Brandl, adding that they spend the night alone. “In the wild, although black and rufous elephant shrews form pairs with a common territory, which the male protects, he only meets the female during mating.”
The black and rufous elephant shrews have many predators and their only protection is well-developed senses and hind limbs that enable a quick start and run. Long legs are characterized by elongated and fused lower leg bones – hence the Czech family name “bércoun”.
The black and rufous elephant shrews are endemics who are confined to a small area of the Eastern Arc Mountains on the borders of Kenya and Tanzania. They are very rare in European zoos. Prague Zoo started breeding them in 2019.