Lesser hedgehog tenrec

The Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi) can be found in Southern and Southwestern Madagascar in the semidesert, coastal regions and dry forest. Their diet mainly consists of insect, but they eat fruit on the side. They are solitary, nocturnal animals who hibernate during the cold season. Tenrecs are widely diverse creatures, resembling hedgehogs, shrews, opossums, mice and even otters.

Interesting fact: The Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi) is one of 16 mammalian species that will have its genome sequenced as part of the Mammalian Genome Project. During a studies of the genome, the analysis joined the tenrec, the African elephant (order Proboscidea) and the aardvark (order Tubulidentata) on a common branch (source).

Picture of the Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec by Pinky sl, licensed under GFDL