Mammals · Afrosoricida · Tenrecidae

Greater Hedgehog Tenrec

Setifer setosus

Least Concern

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

The greater hedgehog tenrec is one of the commonest mammals in Madagascar and a classic example of evolutionary convergence: it looks remarkably like a hedgehog, with a body covered in spines and the ability to roll into a ball, but it is not closely related to one at all. It belongs to the Afrotheria, the lineage of elephants and manatees. It is nocturnal and omnivorous, eating invertebrates, fruit and carrion, and in the dry season it enters a prolonged torpor.

Weight

180 g – 270 g

Size

15 cm – 22 cm

Lifespan

10 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

RainforestTemperate forestDesertOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Rainforest Temperate forest Desert Mammal

2countries 9parks2same family

Fun facts

It rolls into a ball with its spines raised exactly as a European hedgehog does, but its closest relatives are the elephants and the manatees: it is one of the examples of evolutionary convergence most often cited in zoology textbooks.
It can go torpid for months in the dry season, dropping its body temperature close to that of its surroundings, which is uncommon in a tropical mammal.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dry forest, thorn scrub, rainforest and gardens across almost all of Madagascar
Sexual maturity: 6.5 months
Gestation / incubation: 54 days
Litter / clutch size: 3

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