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A spiny lesser hedgehog tenrec walking on gravel.
Photo: Wilfried Berns, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec

Echinops telfairi

A small, spiny, insect-eating mammal of Madagascar that looks like a hedgehog but is more closely related to moles and shrews.

🦔 Tenrecs
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About the Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec

Lesser hedgehog tenrecs live in southern and southwestern Madagascar, in scrublands, dry forests, savannas and grasslands. They are up to 7 inches long and weigh less than half a pound. Their spines are special hairs. They hunt at night using their whiskers and strong senses of smell and hearing, eating insects, eggs, spiders and fruit.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Echinops telfairi[1]
Size
Up to 7 inches long.[1]
Weight
Less than half a pound.[1]
Diet
Insectivore. Insects, eggs, spiders and fruit.[1]
Habitat
Scrublands, semi-deserts, dry forests, coasts, savannas and grasslands.[1]
Where it lives
Southern and southwestern Madagascar.[1]
Group life
Usually solitary and active at night.[1]
Babies
Pregnancy lasts 40 to 60 days. Usually five to seven babies.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2015).[2]

Fun facts

  • Despite its name, the hedgehog tenrec isn't related to hedgehogs.[1]
  • A newborn tenrec weighs about as much as a house key.[1]
  • Tenrecs can rest in torpor for three to five months when food is scarce.[1]
  • A tenrec's spines are really specialized hairs.[1]

Vocabulary

torpor
A deep, sleep-like state that saves energy when food is scarce.
insectivore
An animal that eats mostly insects.
nocturnal
Active at night and resting during the day.
endemic
Found naturally in only one place.
spine
A sharp, stiff point on an animal's body.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Zoo Atlanta. “Lesser hedgehog tenrec.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/lesser-hedgehog-tenrec/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Echinops telfairi (Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/40592/97188634 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.