[1] The term "forest shrews" in the plural is sometimes confusingly used to collectively refer to a different genus, Sylvisorex.

In KwaZulu-Natal and the Drakensberg region, the males are larger than the females, but in the Cape Colony, the sexes are of similar sizes.

This shrew is covered in short, dense fur, dark grey or brown above and paler underneath.

It is found in a wide range of primary and secondary habitats, including forests, grassland, scrub, semidesert, karoo, and fynbos.

[6] The IUCN lists the forest shrew as being of "Least Concern" because it has a wide distribution and is common over much of its range and the population seems stable.