Mammals · Eulipotyphla · Erinaceidae

Four-toed Hedgehog

Atelerix albiventris

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The four-toed hedgehog, also known as the white-bellied hedgehog or African pygmy hedgehog, is an erinaceomorph mammal of the family Erinaceidae. It is a small hedgehog native to much of sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east and south as far as Zambia. Populations tend to spread out among suitable savanna habitats and farmland, avoiding wooded areas.

Weight

250 g – 700 g

Size

15 cm – 25 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaGrasslandOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Savanna Grassland Mammal

22countries5same family

Fun facts

It practises self-anointing: when it comes across an unfamiliar strong smell it licks it, works up a salivary foam and spreads it over its spines with its tongue, contorting itself for minutes on end. Nobody knows for certain what it is for, although it has been suggested that it masks its scent or adds irritant compounds to the spines.
It tolerates venoms that would kill a mammal of its size: it has been seen eating scorpions and snakes with no apparent ill effects.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Savanna, scrub, grassland and gardens across the sub-Saharan belt of Africa
Sexual maturity: 2.8 months
Gestation / incubation: 35 days
Litter / clutch size: 6

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atelerix_albiventris