Ethiopian hedgehog
| Ethiopian hedgehog | ||||||||||||
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Young Ethiopian hedgehog ( Parechinus aethiopicus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Paraechinus aethiopicus | ||||||||||||
| ( Ehrenberg , 1832) |
The Ethiopian hedgehog ( Paraechinus aethiopicus ), also known as Egyptian hedgehog or African desert hedgehog, is a mammal from the hedgehog family (Erinaceidae). The distribution area, which is divided into several geographically isolated occurrences (disjoint), includes parts of northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula .
description
The Ethiopian hedgehog is a small hedgehog with large ears and a broad, unprorned central part. The head-trunk length is 140-258 mm, the tail length 10-40 mm, the length of the hind feet 26-38 mm and the ear length 32-48 mm. The animals weigh up to 500 g. The spines are furrowed lengthways and crossways and have a dark band at the base and in the middle, the tip is white or light brown. The underside is white with brown spots. The muzzle and throat are gray or black to a variable extent, the legs are brown-black.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area, which is divided into several geographically isolated occurrences (disjoint), includes parts of northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula . In Africa, the largest sub-area extends from the Western Sahara east to the extreme northwest of Libya , while a second sub-area encompasses the coastal strip from central Libya to the east of Egypt . Isolated from this, there is another small deposit in central Sudan .
The animals predominantly inhabit stone deserts and dry steppes; however, they like to look for wadis with vegetation and oases where food is easier to find.
Way of life
Ethiopian hedgehogs are nocturnal and spend the day in self-dug burrows. They eat scorpions , roller spiders , insects and amphibians . The animals only hibernate for a short time and also rest in summer when it is very hot.
Little is known about reproduction. The mating season is between May and June. After about a month, two to seven deaf and blind cubs weighing eight to nine grams are born. These open the eyes after 23 to 29 days and are weaned after about 40 days. Life expectancy is three to four years, the maximum age in captivity is around ten.
Systematics
Five subspecies are described:
- Paraechinus aethiopicus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1832)
- Paraechinus aethiopicus albatus Thomas, 1922
- Paraechinus aethiopicus deserti (Loche, 1858)
- Paraechinus aethiopicus ludlowi Thomas, 1919
- Paraechinus aethiopicus pectoralis (Heuglin, 1861)
Zoo situation
Currently (December 2016) there are no known zoos in the EAZA area that keep Ethiopian hedgehogs. The only former German owners are Berlin and Leipzig.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Ethiopian Hedgehog on the IUCN Red List, with distribution map
- ↑ The Ethiopian Hedgehog in the Animal Diversity Web (Engl.)
- ↑ Subspecies from Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (accessed February 5, 2010)
- ↑ www.Zootierliste.de. In: www.zootierliste.de. Retrieved December 6, 2016 .
literature
- Stéphane Aulagnier, Patrick Haffner, Anthony J. Mitchell-Jones, François Moutou, Jan Zima: The mammals of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The destination guide. Haupt, Bern et al. 2009, ISBN 978-3-258-07506-8 , pp. 44-45.
Web links
- Paraechinus aethiopicus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: Hutterer, R., 2008. Accessed on 6 February, 2010.
