[3] The Christmas Island shrew, like other members of the genus Crocidura, is a small short-legged mammal with a distinct pointed muzzle.

[4] The Christmas Island shrew varies from other forms of the species in that it is beset with long fine hairs, and its tail is much greater in length.

[1] Its disappearance in recent times might be caused by the accidentally introduced yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes), which is a dangerous threat for many terrestrial animals on Christmas Island.

[7] The theory of Durham (1908) and Pickering and Norris (1996) report that the decline of two endemic rats may be attributed to the infection of the Christmas Island shrew, according to local researchers.

[10] They left the nest immediately and tended to aimlessly wander as juveniles, making them vulnerable to predation by crabs.

The Yellow Ant is known to be extremely destructive to the ecosystem on Christmas Island, often killing land crabs, endemic reptiles, and a wide range of native invertebrate.