10 small Animals in the worlds...

It's surprising enough to see a celebrity put a tiny Chihuahua in one of those little bags and be amazed at the size of the pet. In fact, it's quite automatic, whenever someone talks about small animals, your mind immediately thinks of pictures of baby animals, like little pigs, kittens and puppies. But for general knowledge, there are creatures that are so tiny in adult form that people might not even know that the wild is their home!

It's worth making it clear to you that it's a big mistake to think that all these animals are furry and soft, because while some are indeed furry, others are sticky too! To introduce these little creatures to you, we've compiled a list of the 10 smallest animals on the planet. These little critters can grab anyone's attention, and you won't be left out of this one. Shall we take a peek at this list?

1. Pygmy shrew: smallest animal in the world

It is the world's smallest animal and smallest known mammal on Earth when it comes to weight. They are found in North Africa and Europe. In addition, they prefer a bushy, humid and warm habitat. They are 3 to 5 cm long with an average weight of 1.3 to 2.5 grams.

With protruding noses, they can eat up to their body size in a day as they have fast metabolisms. Furthermore, they have pale dark fur and live a solitary lifestyle, except during the mating season when they come together.

They hibernate during cold spells and when food is scarce. They are omnivorous by nature; they feed on earthworms, insect larvae, small amphibians, etc., and can live up to 2 years.

2. Kitt's hog-nosed bat

Kitt's hog-nosed bat is the smallest bat in the world. These animals are found in Thailand. Incidentally, they are the size of a bee and so; they are also called bee bats.

In their colonies they can have up to 500 bats, although there are still smaller colonies that can only have 10 to 15 bats. They are nocturnal animals and feed on insects.

Also, these animals have tiny eyes that are mostly covered by fur. They hunt their prey through echolocation, in which they emit a high-pitched sound that they reach from their prey. They are generally 29 to 33 mm long with an average weight of 2 grams.

3. Blind snake

These snakes are also called worm snakes and wire snakes. Although they look like worms, they don't have segmented bodies like worms, and they commonly live in southwest Asia, Africa, North, Central and South America.

They reside in various habitats including humid forests, dry deserts, wetlands and mountain slopes. Furthermore, these snakes have tube-shaped bodies with smooth, shiny scales.

On average, they are 0.5 cm in diameter and can be as little as 38 cm long. The average weight of an adult is 1.4 grams.

Finally, these are the only snake that has teeth in the lower jaw and nothing in the upper jaw, and they feed on small insects such as crickets, termites and ants

4. Pygmy seahorse

It is the smallest seahorse that exists. These tiny seahorses are difficult to spot because of their tiny size and their extreme camouflage characteristics. Furthermore, they are found at depths close to 40 meters in the Indo-West Pacific. On average, they are 1.4-2.7 cm long.

They have two main colors: yellow with orange or purple with pink and feed on small crustaceans.

They give birth to young like other seahorses. In short, the pouch on their trunks helps them to continue to brood their young, unlike other seahorses that use their tail. Sadly, their numbers are dwindling due to ocean acidification, rising temperatures and habitat loss.

5. Papua New Guinea Toad

This is the smallest frog and the smallest animal with a backbone. It is similar in size to a housefly. On average, they are 7.7 mm long. This frog is endemic to the Papua New Guinea rainforest.

They are terrestrial in nature and feed on small invertebrates such as mites and springtails. Additionally, they make sounds at dawn that can last for 3 minutes. However, they are very difficult to detect because their color matches the soil.

6. Flea frog

another of the smallest frog species in the world and the smallest in Brazil and the second in the Southern Hemisphere, belongs to the species Brachycephalus didactylus and can reach 7 to 11 millimeters.

It is a tiny animal, identical in color to dead leaves lying on the forest floor, slow-moving and active only at night. In fact, it's so small that it would fit comfortably on a five-cent piece.

However, the amphibian has not yet been considered the smallest in the world due to divergence with other species, such as Brachycephalus pernix, also endemic to Brazil and which has almost the same size.

7. Cuban Bee Hummingbird

The Cuban bee hummingbird is the smallest living bird in the world today. They only reside in the dense forest and woods of Cuba. They have an average length of 6 cm from beak to tail and their average weight is 2 grams. This bird is so small that some people mistakenly consider it an insect.

As small as it is, the bird flaps its wings at an unbelievable speed of 80 beats per second. Furthermore, your heart also beats at the incredible rate of 1260 beats per minute. The birds have a beautiful plumage that can be blue-green, pale gray or white. They feed on insects and nectar.

They can fly at a speed of 40 to 48 km/h. Interestingly, as small as they are their nests are less than an inch in diameter. The female always lays 2 tiny eggs which are usually incubated for 3 weeks. They have an average lifespan of over 6 years.

8. Mus Mininoides (African Pygmy Mouse)

Although rodents are considered for their tiny sizes, the one that takes this characteristic to the letter is the mus-minutoides, known in English as the African Pygmy Mouse. If you're curious about your height and weight, prepare to be even more surprised. 

They weigh about 3 grams and measure from 3 to 7 cm! You know how they stay hydrated for hours? Licking the dew off the pebbles. For some people, these mini rodents are a source of entertainment, however, the only thing that tutors need to consider is to treat them very delicately as they are extremely fragile.

9. Dwarf mole

This is known as the smallest extant mole species and is the only member of Neurotrichui and Neurotrichini. This little animal measures about 10 centimeters in length and is very different in terms of appearance.

The dwarf mole has no external ears, and its tiny eyes can catch the attention of anyone who loves animals. Its front paws are as tiny as its size.

Despite being small, these moles are more courageous than the others, as they spend more time above ground. And last but not least, they can be viewed in groups of 10 or more members.

10. Pygmy marmoset

Due to its size, which allows it to fit in a pocket, in the English language people also call them “pocket-monkeys” (type “pocket monkeys”). Their curious little eyes speak volumes about their behavioral aspects. They are extremely adorable little monkeys, being the smallest of them all.

It's almost impossible to imagine a monkey measuring only about 13 cm and weighing almost 120 grams, right? Their sharp nails and teeth are used as a tool to open holes in trees and this is how they eat sap and resins, as well as insects.