Southern African Hedgehog

About the Southern African Hedgehog

The Southern African hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis) is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Their bodies are covered by sharp spines. The average mass of a fully grown male is 350 g (12 oz). The main color is brown but there are other colors too. A Southern African hedgehog is covered with spines all over its body except for its face, belly and ears, and these spines are made of keratin protein with a hollow shaft and a muscle for each spine. These unprotected body parts are covered with fur. They are dark brown and their spines are typically white at the base and dark brown at the tip. They have pointed snouts and typically have either a white or brown belly. The average length of the hedgehog is approximately 20 cm (7.9 in). The main characteristic of this type of hedgehog is that they have a white stripe across their forehead, typically, traveling from one leg to the other.

The Southern African hedgehog is said to be a slow mover; however, when threatened, it can move surprisingly fast at 6 to 7 km/h (3.7 to 4.3 mph). During the day, they typically stay... Wikipedia →