Distribution and Status of the Lesser Known Madras Hedgehog Paraechinus nudiventris in South 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.