African Hedgehog- Atelerix albiventris

Size- African hedgehogs are 5-8 inches long and weigh 500-1200 grams.

Life span- 4-7 years.

Diet- Hedgehogs are primarily insectivores, feeding upon a variety of insects. They will also eat snails, small animals and occasional bits of plant materials and fruits.

Geographic range- African Hedgehogs are native to the south-Saharan countries from Senegal to Zambia.

Habitat- Savannahs

Reproduction- Females give birth to 1-5 young after a 5-6 week gestation. The young are an inch long at birth and are born with their spines under their skin and their eyes closed. They will be weaned between 6-8 weeks of age.

Special adaptations- Hedgehogs are covered with hollow hairs called spines. These spines are hardened by keratin and are sharp to the touch. When threatened, they will pull their skin over their head and legs and curl into a ball. When further disturbed, they will jerk and hiss to deter predators. Hedgehogs have large ears and eyes to aid them in their nocturnal lifestyle and a long snout, like their cousins the moles and shrews, which allows them to sniff out insects.

Behavior- Hedgehogs have a peculiar behavior of self-anointing. They will eat poisonous plants that they are immune to, make a frothy saliva and then lick their spines with the poisonous residue, thus making them even more undesirable to a potential predator. They have also been known to do this in response to certain smells in their environment. Scientists believe they are trying to 'camouflage' with the environmental scents.

Current status- African Hedgehogs are non-threatened.