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. In other words, they walk on the tips of their toes, similar to dogs, cats, and most rodents.
Some sources say elephant shrews are noctural, active at night, others diurnal, active by day.
It appears that it varies from species to species. Some species that are ordinarily diurnal may become nocturnal when threatened by predators. Elephant shrews make a variety of sounds. Long-eared and checkered elephant shrews squeak, while the forest elephant shrew makes a cricketlike call. When alarmed, long-earned elephant shrews and the forest elephant shrew sound an alarm by rapping with their hind feet.