Daurian hedgehog - description, habitat, lifestyle

Daurian hedgehog refers to a representative of the hedgehog family, which is classified as an insectivorous detachment. These individuals are partially distinguished from the background of sebiform, have individual characteristics in behavior, otherwise they get food. It is noteworthy that the individuals of the species under discussion are protected by law, are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, but they have not yet been studied. Let's look at the main characteristics so that you make your own opinion about these individuals.

Habitat

1. Representatives of the family are found in China, its northern part. Also inhabited by individuals in Mongolia. There are a lot of them in the vastness of our homeland, namely in Transbaikalia. Slightly less common are hedgehogs in Buryatia.
2. These individuals like to choose the territory of residence, taking into account the vegetation that they consume as food. They can settle nearby with arid plant species. They are found in floodplains with strong humidity.
3. Some like shrubs and thickets, others settle in pine forests. Also found in mixed stripes and larch. They bypass areas with dense grass, steppes and too large wastelands.
4. Often it is possible to meet individuals from the discussed group near human settlements. They live in park areas, on the outskirts of settlements and even in the very center of a particular city, provided that it is not densely populated. Hedgehogs are always guided by the safety of the place when choosing an area for permanent residence.

Status

1. It makes sense to affect the number of animals. Around the 1960s, the population declined sharply due to massive changes in climatic conditions, frequent fires in their places of distribution and, of course, as a result of human activity and the development of new territories.
2. At that time, people massively poisoned rodents, hedgehogs died quickly. Livestock also affected the population negatively. Humanity began to plow the land, cut down forests.
3. To date, there is no exact information regarding what the exact number of these individuals is. According to some reports, the population began to revive, but it has not grown to its previous levels.

Description

1. These individuals in their overall characteristics are inferior to animals of the European type, which are otherwise called ordinary. However, at the same time, they are larger than their eared relatives. In terms of body dimensions, they extend up to 30 cm. As for the mass, it ranges from 0.6–1.6 kg. Before hibernation, individuals eat up and look well-fed.
2. The tail is shortened, it is almost invisible. The limbs also do not differ in excessive length. The case itself is downed, sealed. The head is conical in shape, the muzzle is stretched forward. Ears also look forward, reaching almost 4 cm in length in size. The shell is developed and well visible.
3. There are a lot of needles on the skin, which grow to 2 cm in length. On average. Under each needle there is muscle fiber, which allows it to rise. These representatives of the species have sufficiently flexible muscle fibers that allow individuals to curl and wait out danger.
4. These individuals differ from their ordinary counterparts in that they do not have an empty area on their heads. That is, vegetation covers the entire head. Also, these animals are not too prickly, because the needles are sent to the rear section of the body, and not up, like all other hedgehogs.
5. Those areas where there are no needles are covered with stiff fur. In the chest area there is an elongated cover. The abdominal section is soft and eye-catching. As for the color of the body, the animals are pigmented preferably dark brown or sand. The color changes over time.

Lifestyle

1. Representatives of the family are distinguished by the ability to qualitatively protect their territorial property; they do not tolerate outsiders in their possessions. These individuals have individual plots; each individual member of the group may account for up to 40 ha. Agree, it is impressive, taking into account the fact that the hedgehog is only 30 cm in length. On this territory, the animal is looking for food and shelter.
2. The greatest activity is manifested in twilight time. If the street is cloudy, then individuals can get out of their den and in the afternoon. When it starts to rain, they take shelter from dampness. When danger is twisted into a lump. Hibernation begins around the end of summer. It lasts until the middle of the autumn season, sometimes this action is extended for another six months. Gon originates immediately after awakening.
3. After mating, the female continues to bear future offspring for about 1.5 months. Before birth, the individuals in question dig their holes. In some cases, females try to occupy the abandoned gophers' shelters. Hedgehogs just expand them. Often young growth is born at the beginning or in the middle of summer.
4. Most often, up to 8 babies can be born. At the same time, the process of their growth and development proceeds rather quickly. Already at 2 months of age, the offspring begins to lead a completely independent lifestyle. Before hibernation, the animals presented try to settle away from each other.
5. It is noteworthy that the main natural enemies of such hedgehogs are precisely badgers. Such predators often attack both small individuals and adults. Badgers without any problems get defenseless animals from their holes. Often, hedgehogs also become victims of foxes, birds of prey, raccoon dogs and wolves.
6. The diet of the animals discussed is based on various insects and invertebrates. You can often see that hedgehogs prey on small rodents, snakes and toads. Such individuals can even enjoy carrion. If possible, hedgehogs eat chicks and bird eggs. In the wild, animals live up to 6 years, in captivity a little longer.

Characteristics

1. As mentioned earlier, the diet of the individuals represented is quite diverse. Such hedgehogs can feast on ground beetles, ants and various bugs. They also eat the eggs of birds, which nest mainly on the ground.
2. Hedgehogs attack amphibians, hamsters and mice. If possible, the animals presented do not refuse berries. It is noteworthy that the feeding area of ​​males and females varies greatly. Interestingly, in strong and large males, such a territory can be 400 ha.
3. Such individuals rarely when they independently dig holes. Presented animals prefer to occupy the abandoned shelters of other animals. Hedgehogs do not like rainy weather and always wait for dampness in their shelter. Individuals prefer to be active precisely at dusk. Hedgehogs hunt in the evening and at night.
4. The animals in question hibernate for the winter. In such a difficult period, individuals lose about a third of the mass of the total body weight. Animals wake up approximately in the middle of spring. Such animals prefer a solitary sedentary lifestyle. The pair is created exclusively during the mating season.

When foxes, wolves, ferrets, badgers and birds begin to hunt hedgehogs, these individuals try to behave very carefully. In case of danger, they turn into a ball. It is noteworthy that they can lie in this form for a long time.