Daurian hedgehog
| Daurian hedgehog | ||||||||||||
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| Mesechinus duricus | ||||||||||||
| ( Sundevall , 1842) |
The Daurian hedgehog ( Mesechinus lasturicus ) is a hedgehog (Erinaceidae) from the genus steppe hedgehog ( Mesechinus ).
The name "Daurian hedgehog" is derived from its distribution area Transbaikalia . This is also known as Daurien .
Morphology and characteristics
The fully grown hedgehogs reach a head-trunk length of 19.5-25 cm. The tail length can be up to 37 mm. Body weight fluctuates depending on age. It is around 600 g, but in exceptional cases it can be up to 1 kg. The ears are small, 29-34 mm in size. The head is conical. The spines are short, firm and directed backwards. The fur is straw-whitish on the top of the head, the abdomen is dark-gray-brown.
Way of life
Like other hedgehogs, Daurian hedgehogs are solitary animals outside of the mating season. They are crepuscular and nocturnal. They spend the day sleeping in caves, crevices, or in the roots of dense shrubs or trees. At night they leave the shelter to look for food.
Habitats for the Daurian hedgehog are mainly forests and steppes. He avoids areas with thick grass. Furthermore, he avoids damp areas. In case of danger, he rolls up completely. It often settles near people, because on the one hand the density of natural enemies such as predators is lower, and on the other hand they find a larger food supply here.
The size of the roaming areas in which the hedgehogs search for food is around 90-120 hectares for females and 200-420 hectares for males and also depends on the age of the animal. They are about four times larger than the range of our native brown-breasted hedgehog .
Like most hedgehogs, they belong to the winter sleepers . Hibernation begins from August-September and lasts until mid-late April. Caves or very dense bushes serve as a resting place. During hibernation he loses up to 30% of his body weight.
Reproduction
The hedgehogs only have young once a year. The reproductive period begins in mid-May to June, a few weeks after hibernation. The gestation period lasts 37 to 40 days. An average of 4 to 7 young are born.
Before giving birth, the hedgehogs dig caves in the earth. These are about 50 to 120 cm long, 11 to 19 cm high and 7 to 12 cm wide. The nest chamber is 13 to 30 cm deep. In some cases, abandoned rodent caves are also being expanded and used. The birth and breastfeeding of the young takes place in the caves. Breastfeeding lasts for 36 to 39 days. The young are naked and blind at birth, but grow very quickly afterwards. After a month, the boys leave the building for the first time. After 7 to 8 weeks, the mother weans them.
Male hedgehogs become sexually mature at 10 to 11 months.
Life expectancy
Life expectancy in the wild is 3 to 4 years. In captivity, the animals can live up to 8 years.
food
The Daurian hedgehogs are omnivores . The main food consists of insects , such as ground beetles or terrors . But also small vertebrates , such as amphibians (e.g. Mongolian toad ), snakes , small rodents (such as young hamsters and whistling hares ) are on their menu. These animals are killed themselves or eaten as carrion . It also feeds on bird eggs and plant-based food, such as rose hips or the fruits of the dwarf medlar .
Enemies
Natural enemies are wolves , badgers , red foxes , steppe foxes (korsaks), steppe iltiss , eagle owls , eagle buzzards and predatory eagles .
distribution
The Daurian hedgehog is found in eastern Mongolia including the Gobi Desert , northeastern China (including Inner Mongolia and western Manchuria ) and southeastern Russia ( Primorye Region , southern and central Transbaikalia, and the Amur and Chita Oblasts ).
Duration
In the mid-1960s, the Daurian hedgehog population experienced a sharp decline due to intensive use of pesticides in Russia. Since then, the population seems to have recovered, although it has not reached its old size. The Daurian hedgehog now appears to be spreading further in the northern regions. In southeastern Transbaikalia the number of hedgehogs is estimated at around 550,000 to 650,000 animals. Due to the low population density in the respective areas, the population of the species is unclear in most regions.
It is on the IUCN Red List with the status of "Least Concern" , and in the Red Book (Красная книга) of the Russian Federation, as an endangered protected species with uncertain status.
Systematics
The Daurian hedgehogs belong to the subfamily of the hedgehog (Erinaceinae) and within this to the genus steppe hedgehog ( Mesechinus ). Besides the Hugh's hedgehog ( Mesechinus hughi ), it is the only known species of this genus. The system of these hedgehogs is controversial and you can find different names in different sources.
They are often wrongly classified under the name Hemiechinus duricus in the genus of the long-eared hedgehog. The assignment to the small ear hedgehogs ( Erinaceus lasturicus ) can also be found frequently.
swell
Individual evidence
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
