National Conservation Zoo

Opening times today: 10am - 4pm (Last entry at 3pm)

About

Sengis might look like a shrew but, they are in fact distantly related to manatees, aardvarks, hyraxes and elephants.

These tiny creatures are not thought to be directly linked to their shrew cousins in other parts of the world and are more closely related to elephants. They are solitary animals and will only come together in the wild to mate.

Their tiny flexible nose is extra sensitive so they can sniff out food, and their long tongue flicks out so they can catch insects. Their legs are long compared to their body size, which helps them when they need a quick escape from predators.

There are nineteen different species of sengi, which are very poorly known in the wild and only as recently as last year a new species was discovered in Namibia. 

Sengi at Chester Zoo

Sengi facts

SPECIES
I am a mammal

They aren't rodents, despite the appearance of their tail.

FOUND IN
Africa

I'm found in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

HABITAT
Desert, forest and scrubland

The sengi is confined to rocky areas on the slopes of mountains and boulders on ridges.

DIET
Carnivore

They mainly eat insects like spiders, centipedes, millipedes and earthworms.

BEHAVIOUR
Solitary and monogamous

Sengis appear to be monogamous, which means that the same male and female pair up each time mating takes place. The pair share the same territory/ live in neighbouring territories, but they have little to do with each other except during mating.

AVERAGE SIZE
20 – 23cm
LIFE SPAN
1 - 2 years

Although with human care, they live 3-4 years.

ZOO LOCATION
Okapi House

These tiny mammals can be seen as soon as you enter the indoor element of the Okapi habitat.

IUCN red list statusLeast Concern
Animal vulnerability index

Threats

Threat Humans
Human intervention
Threat Energy Production
Energy production or mining