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The lowland streaked tenrec looks like a crossing between a hedgehog and a bumblebee

With their spiky bristles between their fur and distinct black and yellowish stripes, the lowland streaked tenrec mostly resembles a cross between a hedgehog and an oversized bee! Its appearance is even more unusual because of the spiky yellow bristles around their head, but gives them great camouflage while foraging on the forest floor.

When a predator is foolish enough to go for the tenrec, it will be sure it gets a mouthful of spiky spines that detach from the tenracs body. Interestingly, these little mammals have such a low body temperature that they do not require a scrotum to cool their sperm, as is very common in mammals.

The weird looking Lowland streaked tenrec © Gregory and Mary Beth Dimijian

This small ground-dwelling insectivore without a tail lives on the central upland regions of the island of Madagascar. Like lemurs such as the bizarre looking aye-aye, tenrecs evolved in the isolation of Madagascar and are unique to the island. Unusually for tenrecs, the lowland streaked tenrec is active both at night and during the day, and is the only species to form groups. Nesting in burrow together with its family members, they may forage together on the forage floor looking for tasty earthworms and creatues alike. Unlike other species native to the island of Madagascar, luckily the yellow-streaked tenrec is not considered to be threatened.

Photograph: Wildmadagascar

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Written by Jolle Jolles

Jolle Jolles is a zoologist working at the University of Cambridge with a love for natural history and animal behaviour and enjoys fascinating others about our weird and wonderful natural world. Follow Jolle on Twitter or sent him a personal message.

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