The four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris), or African pygmy hedgehog, is a species of hedgehog found throughout much of central and eastern Africa.Populations tend to be scattered between suitable savannah or cropland habitats, avoiding forested areas. The species common name is derived from the number of toes found on its rear feet.
The four-toed hedgehog is an oval-bodied animal between 15 and 25 centimetres (5.9 and 9.8 in) in length[citation needed] and weighing between 250 and 600 grams (8.8 and 21 oz). Females are typically larger than males. It has short legs, short tail typically around 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) in length, a long nose, and small beady eyes. The ears and whiskers are both relatively large, implying that the animal has good senses.
The four-toed hedgehog is found across a wide swathe of central Africa, from Gambia and Senegal in the west, to Somalia in the east, and also in eastern Africa, as far south as Mozambique. It prefers grassy environments or open woodland, and is found at elevations as high as 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), although it is more common in lowland areas. Because it prefers to shelter in dry rocky or grassy areas, it avoids dense forest and swampland.
The female typically gives birth to a single litter each year, which may contain from two to ten pups, with four or five being most typical. Males approach the female and court her with high pitched vocalizations. Ovulation is induced, occurring only in the presence of a male, normally within 24 hours of mating.Gestation lasts thirty to forty days, and the mother gives birth in a well-lined nest cavity, such as an abandoned rodent burrow.
In the wild, four-toed hedgehogs live for no more than about three years, but they have lived up to ten years in captivity.
Source:www.wikipedia.com
