Elephant Shrews Charm Visitors With Funny Expressions

Two Sengis (Macroscelides proboscideus), also known as round-eared elephant shrews, have charmed visitors at Chester Zoo during their debut with adorable expressions as they yawn and stick their tongues out.

The sengi has a long, flexible snout. You can see its nostrils at the end of its snout. (Photo: Chester Zoo) The sengi is very small – weighing in at 30 to 45 grams (1oz to 1.6oz). As an adult they reach a length of about four inches, making them the tiniest of the 19-subspcies in the family Macroscelididae. They can be found in the wild in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, and inhabit deserts, forests and scrublands. Members of the public can see them at Chester Zoo's Secret World of the Okapi exhibit.