Hedgehog - a unique creation, familiar to many for the children's fairy tales, which instilled in him the qualities of experience and wisdom.This ancient mammal with a shock of needles on your back, slowly mincing little short legs on the ground for more than 15 million years.
Description
Daurskiy hedgehog is a member of the order and tight similar to their relatives almost everything.
distinctive feature is the absence of a color strip naked skin, which is available for all hedgehogs, as well as reduced prickliness caused by needles, the growth of which is directed backwards.
In all other Daurian hedgehog (photo in the article) - familiar to all animal with conical straw head-whitish color and moderately elongated snout.The size of its body is about 25 cm, a tail - up to 3.7 cm. Small ears (up to 3 cm) are bent forward, but do not touch the eye.Fur Color varies from light sandy shades to dark brown, needles are endowed with one or two longitudinal stripes.The presence of a ring of muscle shell allows the animal to easily roll up into a tight ball.
Weight hedgehog is 600-1200 grams, depending on the time of year.During sleep the body weight is minimal, and the end of autumn, on the contrary, due to the preparation for the long winter period hedgehog collects the desired program.
Power
The needle feeding mammal nepereborchivo and gladly accept any food, not disdaining even carrion.Beetles are a favorite delicacy, often darkling ground beetles and Mongolian toad, and the eggs and young birds, nests are located on the ground.The diet enriched with fruits hedgehog ephedra dahurica, rosehip and cotoneaster in their season of ripening.
Habitat
Habitats Daurian hedgehog - the territory of Russia, namely the Chita and Amur region, Primorye, Central and South Baikal, part of the territory which was called earlier Daurskaya land.This gave the name of the animals living in its area: dauricus marmot, white-naped crane, white-naped cm (photo shown).Also prickly handsome can be found in Eastern Mongolia, Manchuria and Northeast China.However, the meeting is not as often as I would like, as in the 60s of the last century habitats Daurian hedgehog strongest were treated with pesticides, which killed a huge number of members of this class of animals.Hedgehog in this case turned out to be a random victim, since the action of toxic substances was directed against carriers of the plague - field rodents.
The natural environment residence Daurian hedgehog are the steppes and semi-desert and mountainous terrain with rock streams.He settles in abandoned burrows of rodents, not shy away from dense bush, natural niche in the soil and under stones.Avoid areas with gustorastuschey grass.Often prickly handsome homes are located near human habitation.This is explained by the absence of predators, the presence of secluded havens and enough food.
Phrases for Daurian hedgehog
By the way, the dangers lie in wait for Daurian hedgehog at every step.From the animal is a fox, wolf, steppe polecat, a dog without a leash contained.It is hard to escape from the hedgehog badger, able to get him out of deep holes.
From cruise representatives hedgehog afraid Steppe Eagle, Upland Buzzard, owl.
significant impact on reducing the population of forest and grassland fires, apply pesticides, harvesting, agricultural activities.
lesser degree of danger to hedgehogs are roads that carry the death by the wheels of vehicles, as well as the capture and keeping them in captivity, under which he can live up to 8 years.In the natural environment, the life expectancy is much less and is 3 - 4 years.
These factors became the basis for a person to control how and where to live Daurian hedgehog.Red Book perpetuated the need for respect for the so vanishing wildlife.
Daurian hedgehog peculiar twilight lifestyle.He does not like humidity, so avoid damp places and sits in a shelter if there is rain.But in cloudy weather is active even in the daytime.
dormant Daurian hedgehog falls in August - October, and out of this state around the end of April.The first, in August occur in the dream state adult males;juveniles - around October.Awakening to Daurian hedgehogs are simultaneously going around in the second half of April.
Reproduction
in nature Daurian hedgehogs live apart, but during the mating season, which begins in late May, the couple lives together for several days.
place for the emergence of the female offspring usually settles in abandoned rodent burrows or dig their own shelter.The gestation period is 37-40 days hedgehog, usually in June - July, the light appears a new offspring in the amount of 4 - 7 pups.They are born blind, his eyes begin to open on the 16th day.Also babies at birth bright pink skin and absolutely no needles.Growing they start after a few hours after birth.The female is characterized by particularly anxious concern for their offspring and at the slightest danger brings their kids to a new lair.
ezhata grow fast enough and out of the holes begin to months of age.Finally separated from the mother of 7 - 8 weeks, starting an independent life.Young males reach sexual maturity at 11 months, but the competition with older individuals does not permit them to take part in the reproduction of about 2 years.
Immortalized image Daurian hedgehog on a commemorative silver coin from the series "Red Book" in denominations of 1 ruble, published in Russia in 1999 in a limited edition.
Daurskiy hedgehog: the interesting facts
I would like to point out a few interesting facts relating to how Daurian hedgehog, and the rest of his brethren:
- All hedgehogs have 36 teeth.
- respiratory rate hedgehog in a normal period - 40-50 times a minute during hibernation, it is 6-8 times.Proportional and decrease in body temperature: the normal period it is 34 degrees during hibernation - 2 degrees.
- With excellent sense of smell and hearing, hedgehogs have difficulty seeing.
- Hedgehog amazes imagination resistance to poison viper.Also on it are weak, and the remaining poisons: arsenic, opium, hydrocyanic acid.
