Although they may resemble such animals as shrews, hedgehogs, or otters, they are not closely related to any of these groups
Their closest relatives are actually the golden moles of southern Africa.
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct
Meet our lesser hedgehog tenrec
Although our Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec is not currently on-show it is part of our mini and junior zookeeper experiences, so why not book your exclusive experiences now!
Key Facts
Family:
Tenrecidae
Diet:
Invertebrates, fruit and vegetable matter
Life Span:
Up to 12 years
Distribution:
Madagascar
Did you know?
When threatened, these tenrecs curl into a ball, leaving only sharp spines—modified hairs—exposed