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Distribution and Status of the Lesser Known Madras Hedgehog Paraechinus nudiventris in South Tamil Nadu, India


Affiliations
1 School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati C/o Sree Rama Engineering College (Transit Campus), Rami Reddy Nagar, Karakambadi Road, Mangalam (P.O.) Tirupati - 517507, Andhra Pradesh, India
2 Department of Zoology, Vellalar College for Women, Erode - 638012, Tamil Nadu, India
 

Hedgehogs recognized by their spines able to roll into a tight ball in self-defense with spines pointing outwards. Hedgehogs are nocturnal and hibernate depending on temperature, species and abundance of food. The South Indian Hedgehogs is least studied and are steadily declining in rural areas especially from large areas of agricultural land. The major distribution habitats are shrubs, small hillocks and thorny shrubs. The main threats for these spiny small mammals are hunting, habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, injuries, road kill, lack of invertebrate prey, local trade, difficulty in long term monitoring leads to least concern on theses small mammals. The declining status of Hedgehog population made this to enter into endangered species lists.

Keywords

Conservation, Habitat, Nocturnal, Shrubs, Small Mammal, Spiny.
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  • Distribution and Status of the Lesser Known Madras Hedgehog Paraechinus nudiventris in South Tamil Nadu, India

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Authors

Brawin Kumar
School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati C/o Sree Rama Engineering College (Transit Campus), Rami Reddy Nagar, Karakambadi Road, Mangalam (P.O.) Tirupati - 517507, Andhra Pradesh, India
M. Vimala Devi
Department of Zoology, Vellalar College for Women, Erode - 638012, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract


Hedgehogs recognized by their spines able to roll into a tight ball in self-defense with spines pointing outwards. Hedgehogs are nocturnal and hibernate depending on temperature, species and abundance of food. The South Indian Hedgehogs is least studied and are steadily declining in rural areas especially from large areas of agricultural land. The major distribution habitats are shrubs, small hillocks and thorny shrubs. The main threats for these spiny small mammals are hunting, habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, injuries, road kill, lack of invertebrate prey, local trade, difficulty in long term monitoring leads to least concern on theses small mammals. The declining status of Hedgehog population made this to enter into endangered species lists.

Keywords


Conservation, Habitat, Nocturnal, Shrubs, Small Mammal, Spiny.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.15613/sijrs%2F2020%2Fv7i1-2%2F210555