Southern African Hedgehog
| Southern African Hedgehog | |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Erinaceomorpha |
| Family: | Erinaceidae |
| Genus: | Atelerix |
| Species: | A. frontalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Atelerix frontalis A. Smith, 1831 |
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| Southern African Hedgehog range | |
The Southern African Hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis) is a species of mammal in the Erinaceidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
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[edit] Physical description
Their bodies are covered by sharp spines. The average mass of a fully grown male is 350g.
[edit] Defences
Their protective mechanism is to curl into a ball when threatened. This however is not always enough defence against the powerful claws and hard feet of predatory birds such as owls.
[edit] Reproduction
The gestation period is one month with a litter of between 1 and 9 newborns.
[edit] Diet
The Southern African Hedgehog is omnivorous. Its diet consists mainly of earthworms and insects.
[edit] Habitat
Southern African Hedgehogs are nocturnal. Although these hedgehogs can be found in most environments they prefer grass and Bushveld that is not too damp, with a good covering of leaves and other debris. They will spend most of the day underneath this cover of leaves or under bushes and in holes; only coming out at night to feed. Sleeping places are changed daily with only some wintering and breeding nests being semi-permanent.
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[edit] References
- Insectivore Specialist Group 1996. Atelerix frontalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 July 2007.
- Translated from: Die Wilde Diere van Suid-Afrika, Anthony Bannister 1985; ISBN 0 620 074477
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