Paraechinus aethiopicus
desert hedgehog

This species is found widely throughout much of northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Its range extends all over the Sahara from Morocco to Egypt to Syria and Iraq.

Paraechinus aethiopicus is well adapted to arid, drought-like conditions. It lives in hot, dry deserts but can also be found in vegetated areas of an oasis or coast.

Paraechinus aethiopicus carries an armament of dorsal spines from the base of its head to its rear, leaving the top of its head bald. These spines are hollow and pale brown with dark tips. The color of the ventral side and feet is a variable combination of brown, black, white, solid brown or solid white. The muzzle and mask are black with lighter bands on the forehead. Paraechinus aethiopicus is larger than the other species of hedghog that shares its region, Hemiechinus auritus, but quite similar otherwise.

Typically, the lifespan of a hedgehog in the wild is 3-4 years. In captivity they have been known to live as long as 10 years. The lifespan of this particular species, however, has not been documented.

During the daytime, members of this species rest near rocks and cliffs. This allows them protection while they sleep, hiding them from birds of prey. They sleep on their sides, so their spines give them little protection while at rest. They hunt at night. Insects and other prey congregate near coastline or inland vegetation around an oasis, which is why P. aethiopicus can often be found in these areas. During prolonged periods of cold weather, these hedgehogs hibernate, waking periodically to forage for food. These periods of hibernation may be necessary as a result of the poor insulation offered by their spines.

This species is mainly insectivorous, but it eats a variety of foods when they are available. It is not, however, thought to eat plant matter. One other interesting note is that P. aethiopicus, like other hedgehogs, has a high tolerance for snake and insect venoms, estimated to be 30 to 40 times that of a similar sized rodent. This protects them while hunting venomous or stinging prey.

Prey include: insects, small invertebrates, the eggs of ground-nesting birds, frogs, snakes and scorpions.

The spines of this species, and other hedgehogs, are the main tool for escaping predators. It tucks its head into its ventral region and effectively rolls into a ball. This exposes only its spines to a potential predator, making it difficult to eat.

The role that this species plays in its desert ecosystem is not well studied.

There are no adverse effects of P. aethiopicus on humans.

Hedgehogs may help to control pest populations through their predation on insects and other invertebrates.

By all accounts, this species is not endangered and is, in fact, quite common in some parts of its range.

The phylogeny of this species has been disputed. It is sometimes classified in the genus Hemiechinus and sometimes in the genus Paraechinus. Up to five subspecies have been recognized. Hedgehogs have become a fairly common pet in North America and Europe; however, the common pet hedgehog is actually a hybrid of two other African species, not Paraechinus aethiopicus.