Brandt's Hedgehog

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Brandt's Hedgehog[1]
A Brandt's Hedgehog from Rajasthan, India
A Brandt's Hedgehog from Rajasthan, India
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Erinaceomorpha
Family: Erinaceidae
Genus: Paraechinus
Species: P. hypomelas
Binomial name
Paraechinus hypomelas
(Brandt, 1836)

Brandt's Hedgehog (Paraechinus hypomelas) is a species of desert hedgehog native to the Middle East and Middle Asia. Brandt's Hedgehog is approximately the size of the West European Hedgehog (about 500–1,000 g in weight and 25 cm in length), but has distinctively large ears similar to the Long-eared Hedgehog and is a much faster runner due to lighter (but still superior to the Long-eared Hedgehog) needle protection. It is a fast runner, but, unlike the Long-eared Hedgehog, predominantely nocturnal and uses cuddling tactic more often, although still employing "jumping" attack.

Brandt's Hedgehog prefers arid desert areas and mountains. It uses natural shelter a lot, although it is still capable of digging dens when absolutely needed. It hibernates during colder weather.

It is named after (and by) Johann Friedrich von Brandt, a director of the Zoological Department at the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

With paws exposed

Showing his face

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hutterer, Rainer (2005-11-16). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 217. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). Hemiechinus hypomelas. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2006-05-12. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern