Tail After the Tailless Tenrec
The tailless tenrec, also known as the common tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus) is a species of tenrec in the order Afrosoricida, which also includes golden moles and otter shrews. T. ecaudatus is found only on the islands of Madagascar and Comoro, where it mainly inhabits both coastal forests and inland savannas, and agricultural areas.
Like other members of the tenrec family, tailless tenrecs resemble a large shrew or a large oppossum, with a round body, short legs, and an elongated snout. They sport short, grey or brown fur, with a narrow 'mane' of stiffer hairs running down the back. Despite their name, they do have very short tails; usually 1.0 to 1.5 cm (0.39 to 0.59 in) in length. The tailless tenrec is notable as the largest species of tenrec; adults reach up to 26 to 39 cm (10 to 15 in) in length and weigh up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lb).
Common tenrecs spend most of their time foraging in the understory at night, and resting in a nest of grass and leaves during the day. Their diet consists of a mixture of fruit, vegetation, invertebrates, frogs, reptiles, and mice. They protect themselves from predators with their stiff manes, which they can erect to form a guard of spines; they also scream and bite when threatened. They are the first tropical mammal known to enter an extended period of hibernation, which can last up to 9 months.
Tailless tenrecs are perhaps most remarkable for their reproductive habits. Breeding occurs from October to November; this is the only time individuals seek out others. After a brief mating encounter, the male and female part ways. Gestation lasts 56 to 64 days, and then the female gives birth to up to 32 young-- the most of any mammal. The pups are blind at birth, but open their eyes at 9 to 14 days, and begin to forage with their mother at three weeks old. By two months, they are completely independent, and disperse to establish their own territories. It is unknown how long they can survive in the wild, but in captivity they are known to live up to 6 years.
Conservation status: The tailless tenrec is considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Their primary threat is competition for food from introduced rats; habitat loss may also reduce foraging ability and mobility.
Photos
Bird Explorers
Heinonlein
Valentina Volkova
