Southern African hedgehog

Activity patterns. The Southern African Hedgehog is predominantly nocturnal and usually emerges in evening to forage but exhibits some diurnal activity following rainfall, probably to feed on emerging earthworms. It generally moves about slowly but is capable of remarkable bursts of speed. It rests by day curled up in a ball under matted grass or in leaf litter, rocky crevice, or hole in the ground. Such resting sites are changed daily unless they are being used to rear young or for hibernation. During warm rainy season when food is abundant, it gains weight. In cool, dry winter when availability of food declines and ambient temperatures decrease, the Southern African Hedgehog becomes scarce and burrows into loose sandy soil to hibernate. Hibernation is characterized by low oxygen consumption, low respiratory rate, and lowered body temperature. During this time, fat reserves accumulated in wet season are used to obtain energy. It appears that it can modify length of torpor in response to availability of food and energy. Hibernation is in June-September and is slightly less in northern parts ofits distribution. It remains torpid for up to six weeks at a time and temporarily arouses during warm weather. Torpor ends when temperatures increase in spring. Both sexes can lose c ¢. 15 % of their weight during three months in hibernation.