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Hedgehog
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Mammals |
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Africa |
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- |
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Erinacae |
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700 K.G |
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Savannah, prairies, gardens |
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Worms, insects, small reptiles |
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35 days |
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2 to 10 |
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Owls, wild dogs, badgers |
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Abundant |
This insectivorous mammal has about 5 000 quills on its body.
The African pygmy hedgehog is an insectivorous, nocturnal and solitary small mammal. It has unique defence mechanism which consists of rolling in a ball while it bristles its spines. This will usually discourage potential predators like owls, badgers, wild dogs and jackals. The African pygmy hedgehog is about 15 to 20 cm long (6 to 8 in) and weighs from 500 to 700 g (17.5 to 24.5 on). It can live from 4 to 5 years in nature.
Its back is covered with about 5 000 quills, the belly is hairy, the ears are round and the nose is pointed. The 36 pointed teeth are well adapted to eat tough insects. The diet is varied including worms, insects, slugs, snails, crustaceans, frogs, lizards, snakes, eggs, birds, small mammals, mushrooms, fruit and seeds. It is even resistant to some snakes’ venom! The quills do not detach easily from the body like those of the American porcupine. The senses of hearing and smell are well developed, the eyesight is weak. The distribution of the African pygmy hedgehog spreads from western Africa and south of Somalia to Tanzania. It can be found in varied habitats, savannahs, prairies and gardens where it can feed on all kinds of insects considered to be a nuisance to humans. The gestation period lasts about 35 days and a female gives birth to five young in average, once or twice a year. The greatest threats for the survival of this animal is the intensive agricultural techniques, the cities’ expansion which creates loss of habitat, and road crossings’ numerous killings. This species is not endangered and has no particular status.