210-280 mm, 26-70g, mouse-sized, soft-furred, naked-tailed animals with large eyes and ears, a fine-pointed proboscis (hence the name, elephant shrew). Distributed across the eastern and southern half of Africa and extreme north-west (Morocco). Species are well defined in their geographical ranges and habitat preferences, some preferring sandy areas, others rocky or densely vegetated areas. Highly vulnerable to birds of prey and snakes, lesser elephant shrews have extremely rapid reactions. Their reproductive life of about one year allows no more than three litters, in which one or two young are born. Favored in areas well stocked with wild or domestic herbivores (probably due to their dependence of certain invertebrates on dung and plant litter). Some species may be threatened when overstocking degrades the habitat to the point where patches of shelter disappear. In general not threatened.

Soft-furred elephant shrews (of which the one above is a member)or macroscelidinae are the remnants of a larger radiation that included mouse-like herbivores (Mylomygale) which survived until 1 million or so years ago. These exclusively African animals are recognisable as fossils some 35 million years ago.