The long, slender rat-like tail is usually covered with bristles. The hind legs are much longer than the front. Each foot has four or five toes. However, checkered elephant shrews have three toes on each hind foot. Some elephant shrews are brightly colored.
Most species have a pale ring around the eye.
The fur is soft and is lacking in the rump region. Elephant Shrews in Action E lephant shrews might have been named rabbit shrews. They are excellent hoppers, fleeing from predators with long bounds, tails held high. When not in a hurry, they walk. All elephant shrews are semi-digitigrade.