What is the smallest mammal in the world today?
The smallest mammal in the world is the bumblebee bat which lives along the River Kwai in western Thailand. An endangered species, the bumblebee bat is not much larger than an actual bumblebee (1.2 in) and weighs less than a penny (0.07 oz). Of course, there are several mammals similar in size to the bumblebee bat, and the designation of which one is actually the smallest can sometimes be contentious. Another animal which is sometimes awarded the title of “world’s smallest mammal” is Savi’s pygmy shrew, a tiny insectivore small enough to run through the tunnels of large earthworms. Each day, this pygmy shrew consumes insects and spiders up to 2 to 4 times its own body weight.
