Scientific Name:
Hystrix indica
Distribution
Turkey, throughout SW Asia to India
Diet:
Grains roots, fruits and bones (as a source of calcium that helps their spines grow).
Facts
Habitat: Highly adaptable to multiple environments, can be found in rocky hills (which they prefer), drylands, but also grasslands, forests and mountains such as the Himalayas.
Gestation: 118 days, 2-4 cubs.
Social structure: 1-5 ατόμα
Weight: 11-18kg
Dimensions: Length: 70 - 90cm
Estimated population in the wild: Unknown - common
Lifespan: ~20 years
Threats: They are considered agricultural pests by locals who trap and use them for food. IUCN Status: Least concern
Did you know that:
- When alarmed or attacked it will raise its quills and spines and attack backwards, causing severe injury and sometimes death of the enemy.
- They are mainly nocturnal. During the day they shelter in rocky caves.
- They chew on bones (source of calcium that helps their spines grow).
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They may look a little clumsy walking on the ground but they can climb on trees and swim.