Mammals · Eulipotyphla · Erinaceidae

North African Hedgehog

Atelerix algirus

Least Concern

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

The North African hedgehog is a species of erinaceomorph mammal of the family Erinaceidae. It lives in north-west Africa, on Malta, on the southern and south-western coasts of France, in the Balearic Islands, on the Iberian Peninsula and in the Canaries. The Iberian subspecies is classified as Atelerix algirus algirus; in those areas it replaces the European hedgehog. The Balearic subspecies is A. a. vagans.

Weight

400 g – 900 g

Size

20 cm – 25 cm

Lifespan

7 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

DesertGrasslandIslandsOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Desert Grassland Islands Mammal

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Fun facts

On Fuerteventura and Lanzarote it lives alongside the Canary shrew, and there are signs that its introduction has contributed to the decline of invertebrates endemic to the malpaís badlands.
Unlike the European hedgehog it hardly hibernates: in the mild winters of the Mediterranean and the Canaries it stays active all year, going into torpor only for short spells when the temperature drops.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Mediterranean scrub, farmland, dunes and gardens of North Africa, the Canaries and the Balearics
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 40 days
Litter / clutch size: 5

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