This week, zookeepers and wildlife conservationists in the United Kingdom are celebrating the arrival of four very special animals. In fact, they are some of the rarest animals ever seen in the UK—because they’ve never lived there before.
Although the tiny species is native to Africa, these juvenile individuals lived in the Leipzig Zoo in Germany and Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic before finding homes with two zoos in England. They’ll soon be available for guests to see at both zoos, though the ultimate goal is for them to contribute to a species breeding program when they are fully grown.
Along with ZSL London Zoo, @hertfordshirezoo announced the arrival of the Black and Rufous Sengis on October 21. They’re already stealing hearts with every wiggle of their nose!
Aren’t they adorable? Their huge eyes and bright brown coloring is incredibly striking, but their long, trunk-like nose is the star of the show. No wonder their nickname is the ‘elephant shrew!’
Ironically, these tiny animals are more closely related to the massive elephant than the tiny shrew. They’re not related to anteaters, either! However, they are related to aardvarks, which explains their diet made of insects.
Related: People Can’t Believe Adorable Fluffball is Actually a California Zoo’s Baby Porcupine
“Ah yes, the schneef schnorf,” one viewer commented. LOL—I like that name for them! If their nose wiggles had a name, ‘schneef schnorf’ would be at the top of the list.
This commenter wasn’t the only person feeling amused by the Black and Rufous Sengis’ unique snout. Another viewer admitted that they thought the animal was a puppet until the video was nearly over, while several others thought of a certain chaotic squirrel from the Ice Age franchise.
Black and Rufous Sengis in the UK
These cute animals may be stealing hearts left and right, but the real reason they’re in England is important to their species. They’re going to be breeding pairs! Both the London Zoo and Hertfordshire Zoo welcomed a male and female pair to their resident list, with the hopes that the population will grow in the coming years.
Fortunately, the species is not threatened or endangered in its native country of Kenya, so breeding efforts aren’t the greatest concern. Instead, these Black and Rufous Sengis will help educate UK zoo visitors about another fascinating species!
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This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Oct 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
