The dusky elephant shrew belongs to a group with long snouts and large ears. Some records from Mozambique and elsewhere remain uncertain, so the limits of its range are not clear.
A long, flexible snout, large eyes and ears, and hind feet longer than the forefeet are features shared across Elephantulus.
Many species in this genus eat insects and other small invertebrates and build nests in sheltered places such as rock crevices or ground vegetation. Some use regular trails while foraging or escaping predators.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.