Desert Hedgehog
| Desert hedgehog | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Erinaceidae |
| Genus: | Paraechinus |
| Species: | P. aethiopicus |
| Binomial name | |
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Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1832) |
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| Desert hedgehog range | |
The desert hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus) is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae.
The desert hedgehog is one of the smallest of hedgehogs. It is 5.5 to 11 inches (140 to 280 mm) long and weighs about 10 to 18 ounces (280 to 510 g). The spines on its back can be banded with coloring similar to the four-toed hedgehog.It is usually identified by its dark muzzle. If desert hedgehogs are threatened, their muscles go tight and pull the outer layer of skin around the body, making their spikes stick out in all directions. The spines tend to be longer than other hedgehogs for better protection against predation. As such it almost impossible to catch one.
It is found in the Sahara Desert, Algeria, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and possibly Ethiopia.
Breeding begins in March, after hibernation has ended. The female desert hedgehog gives birth to up to six young, in a burrow or concealed nest, after a gestation period of around 30 to 40 days. The young are born deaf and blind, and with the spines located just under the skin, to prevent damage to the female during birth. The spines emerge within a few hours, and the eyes open after around 21 days. The young desert hedgehogs are weaned after about 40 days. There is thought to be single litter each year.
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Wikipedia