Why in News?

Allocated ₹20.5 lakh for studies and protection, aiming to generate baseline data on this elusive, little-studied mammal whose population is declining due to habitat loss and hunting.

IUCN Status

Least Concern (LC) (However, local populations in India are severely threatened.)

Special Characters

A nocturnal and solitary mammal that inhabits the semi-arid, scrubland, and grassland areas across parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.

Unique Features

• Unlike hedgehogs in colder climates that hibernate in winter, the Madras Hedgehog often enters a state of deep sleep known as aestivation (summer sleep) to survive the prolonged heat and dry conditions of its southern Indian habitat.