A shrew is a tiny mammal that looks something like a mouse but with a longer, pointier snout and smaller eyes. Shrews are among the smallest mammals on Earth: some species weigh less than a dime. Despite their size, they're fierce predators with incredibly fast metabolisms, eating insects, worms, and even small mice. A shrew must consume nearly its own body weight in food every day just to survive, hunting almost constantly.

Shrews have another unusual feature: venomous saliva. Some species can paralyze their prey with a bite, making shrews some of the few venomous mammals in the world.