Lowland Streaked Tenrec

These black and yellow hedgehogs have detachable quills, similar to porcupines, but are closer related to moles. Unlike the porcupine the quills of the Tenrec are not barbed and are hidden under their fur. The black and yellow design is to help them camouflage into their environment and even mimic another species called the Tenrec ecaudatus which is a more aggressive species. Just like other rodents they mainly forage for small insects and worms.

Fun Facts

• There are two different species • They can rub their quills together to make a high frequency noise • They can weigh up to 280 grams • They have an unusually large number of vertebrae considering their size