Arctic Shrews prefer grassy clearings and marshes within coniferous forests and are never very dense in population. Mortality is high early in life. About one in every seven youngsters dies within a month after it leaves the nest, and 80 percent die before reaching sexual maturity. Maximum life span is about 18 months. Due to their habitat preferences, Arctic Shrews have not been well studied, especially in the more northern part of their range. It is thought that their vision may be quite good, because of their behavior when hunting insects. Like other shrews, they are almost frantically active, pursuing prey around the clock to meet their high energy needs, with short rests between hunting bouts.

Links:
Mammal Species of the World
Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account