The small mammals of Kwamgumi Forest Reserve, a habitat representing transition between coastal and Eastern Arc forest types, and one of the lower forest reserves of the East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, were sampled to gain a preliminary perspective on the diversity and abundance of the shrews, bats and rodents of this unique forest. While the species documented are reminiscent of those found at higher elevations in the East and West Usambara Mountains, the abundance of shrews and rodents, based on trap success, was much lower than in the montane forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains