If you are wondering what is the world’s smallest animal, then this article is just for you. The size of a mammal varies hugely with the smallest mammal with body size of 1.14 to 1.29 inches and the largest mammal with body size of 100 feet. So, here’s a list of the smallest living mammals from around the globe.
1. Etruscan Shrew
Heard of the animal that eats twice its body weight! Well, this isn’t a joke. The Etruscan shrew is the smallest mammal in the world by mass, having an appetite twice its body weight. On average, the weight of a tiny shrew ranges from 0.45 to 0.08 ounces and has a body length of about 1.18 to 2.04 inches. Its characteristic features involve rapid movements and fast metabolism, which explains why they eat twice their size. These animals possess dense fur on their lower body. Etruscan Shrew could be distinguished as nocturnal, carnivorous, terrestrial, altricial, solitary, and non – migrant.
2. Bumblebee Bat
Another world’s smallest animal is Bumblebee Bat. It is found in the caves of Thailand and Myanmar. Also known as the Kitti-nosed bat, it is the world’s smallest bat. It weighs less than 2 grams. Theories reveal that the creature is even smaller than the size of a thumb. Their average group size ranges from 10 to 15 individuals to around 100 in a group. The smallest animal currently has a population of 6600. Due to the enhanced level of threat faced by this species, a conservation project was launched in 2007 to protect the vulnerable category of the second-smallest species of mammal in the world. (See Is Liger A Real Animal?)
3. Pygmy Marmosets
Pygmy marmosets are the world’s smallest monkeys. When measuring in length, they are only 4.6 inches tall viz measuring up to a size of a human finger when measured without the tail. World’s smallest monkey is found in the rainforests of South America.
4. Barbados Threadsnake
When talking about the smallest living mammals, much to my surprise, the Barbados Threadsnake is the smallest in the snake category. This snake has a length of about 4 inches. The species got its name due to the theory that these snakes only exist in the areas around Barbados. (See How many Animals are there in the World?)
5. Dwarf Gecko
In the list of the world’s smallest animals, the turquoise blue Gecko is next in line. The world’s smallest lizard is only about 3.1 inches on average and is found only in the areas near Tanzania. The species is critically endangered and is known by various names, such as electric gecko and William dwarf gecko, due to its size. (Also see Why are the Bottlenose Dolphins becoming endangered?)
6. Baluchistan Pygmy Jerboas
The jerboas are incredibly tiny creatures. They are native to Pakistan and Afghanistan with a size of 1.7 inches. This makes them the world’s smallest rodent. The Jerboas have one exceptional feature that is their extremely long tail as compared to their body.
7. Brookesia Micra
The eighth world’s smallest animal is Brookesia Micra. This chameleon grows just to be around 1.1 inches in length. This species is of the size of the top of the human finger and is endemic to Madagascar. This species was discovered in the year 2012. The smallest chameleon is the size of the top of the human finger.
8. Bee Hummingbird
Bee Hummingbird is the world’s smallest bird. It has a size of only about 1.96 to 2.40 inches. Being endemic to Cuba, the bird weighs less than a dime. But, the smallest bird flaps around 200 times per second, which is the reason for its high speed.
