Long-eared hedgehog, LRK
Indian long-eared hedgehog portrait in desert scrub habitat. Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India.
The Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) is a unique habitat comprising of saline desert plains, thorny scrubland, arid grasslands, wetlands and marshes.
About the Indian long-eared hedgehog:
The Indian long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus collaris) is a species of nocturnal mammal native to northern India and Pakistan.
Hedgehogs can be easily recognised by the dense spines covering their backs. These spines are not poisonous or barbed and, unlike the physically similar but unrelated quills of a porcupine, do not easily detach from their bodies. A hedgehog that feels threatened can roll into a tight ball, causing the spines to point outwards and protecting the face, feet, and belly, which are not quilled. The hedgehog’s back has two large muscles that control the position of the quills.
Indian long-eared hedgehogs have a particularly well developed set of senses thanks to their huge ears, powerful sense of smell and highly sensitive whiskers. These senses help them to locate food and other hedgehogs. Indian long-eared hedgehogs are found exclusively in arid habitats where water is scarce, as a result they get the majority of their water from their diet which is primarily insectivorous.
You can find out more about Indian long-eared hedgehogs here.