One of the world’s smallest and toughest hedgehog species that is perfectly adapted to the dry, hot landscapes of North Africa and the Middle East. It’s a tiny bundle of spines, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in resilience. Its most striking feature is its extra-large ears, which aren’t just cute but also practical: they help radiate heat away from the body, keeping the hedgehog cool in scorching desert temperatures. Its spines, usually pale with darker tips, form a prickly armor, while its face and underbelly are covered with soft fur. This mix of spiky defense and desert-tuned adaptations makes it stand out from its European and Asian hedgehog relatives.

One of the Desert hedgehog’s key survival strategies is its ability to withstand extreme conditions. Unlike garden hedgehogs that thrive in mild, temperate habitats, this species spends the hottest hours of the day tucked away in a burrow, rock crevice, or under thick vegetation. It is strictly nocturnal, coming out at night when the desert cools down. Its diet is also impressively varied—it’s primarily insectivorous, snapping up beetles, scorpions, and worms, but it will also eat small reptiles, eggs, and even some plants when food is scarce. This opportunistic feeding makes it an important pest controller in its native ecosystems.

Compared to other hedgehogs, the Desert hedgehog has an extra defensive trick up its sleeve. When threatened, it curls up into a tight ball with its spines sticking out and can wedge itself against the ground so firmly that predators like foxes or owls struggle to pry it open. Its spines are shorter but denser than many other species, giving it an even more impenetrable “fortress ball.” This makes it a particularly tough meal for most would-be hunters, which is why it has survived so well in open, predator-rich environments.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Algeria

2016

Bahrain

2016

Chad

2016

Djibouti

2016

Egypt

2016

Eritrea

2016

Ethiopia

2016

Iran

2016

Iraq

2016

Israel

2016

Jordan

2016

Kuwait

2016

Libya

2016

Mali

2016

Mauritania

2016

Morocco

2016

Niger

2016

Oman

2016

Qatar

2016

Saudi Arabia

2016

Somalia

2016

Sudan

2016

Syria

2016

Tunisia

2016

UAE

2016

Yemen

2016