Kalinga shrew mouse

The Kalinga shrew mouse (Soricomys kalinga) is a small rodent of the family Muridae found in Kalinga province in the northern Cordillera Central of Luzon, in the northern Philippines. It was first collected at Magdallao on 30 March 2000 at 1,600 metres, and further animals were later caught at other sites between 1,800 and 2,150 metres in the barangays of Balbalasang and Balbalan. It lives in montane forest and mossy forest, both primary forest and secondary growth. The species is active during daylight hours and feeds mainly on invertebrates, including earthworms and insects. Like other members of its genus it is a small, ground-dwelling, pointed shrew rat with small ears and slender feet. The upper body is orange-brown, shading gradually into a lighter underside, the small round ears are black, and the relatively long tail is completely black. The Mammal Diversity Database also lists the name Cordillera shrew mouse and gives its IUCN Red List status as Least Concern.