# Somali hedgehog (Atelerix sclateri)

> The Somali hedgehog, a hedgehog found only in Somalia: what it is, where it lives, its Red List status and every shared record of it in Somalia.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/nature/somali-hedgehog/
Last checked: 2026-11-13
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## In short

The Somali hedgehog (*Atelerix sclateri*) is a mammal of the hedgehog family, Erinaceidae. It is endemic to Somalia, which means it is found nowhere else, and it is active at night ([Wikipedia, Somali hedgehog, backup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_hedgehog)).

It was described by Anderson in 1895 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/2437135)).

## Where it lives

The IUCN Red List assessment describes it as a savanna species, believed to live mostly in grassland and other open habitats, in the outer parts of Somalia ([IUCN Red List, *Atelerix sclateri*, 2016](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T2275A22324040.en)).

Little research has been done on it. The assessment records no known current threats to its habitat (same source).

## Records in Somali lands

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) holds 5 records of the Somali hedgehog from Somalia, dated from 1895 to 2023 ([GBIF occurrence search, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=2437135)). By type: 2 sightings by people, 2 specimens cited in published papers, 1 museum specimen.

Records that name a region (2 of 5), by region: [Togdheer](/en/regions/togdheer/) 2 (same source).

The oldest dated record is a museum specimen from 1895, from a place recorded as "Berbera", held by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History ([GBIF record 1321092727](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1321092727)).

The newest dated record is a sighting by a person from 2023, from Togdheer, held by iNaturalist ([GBIF record 4039200665](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/146696943)).

GBIF only holds what museums, scientists and observers have shared, so the counts show where the animal or plant has been recorded, not its full range.

## Red List status

The IUCN Red List category for the Somali hedgehog is **Least Concern** ([IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T2275A22324040.en); [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/2437135)).

## Classification

| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Erinaceomorpha |
| Family | Erinaceidae |
| Genus | Atelerix |
| Species | *Atelerix sclateri* |

Scientific name with author: *Atelerix sclateri* Anderson, 1895 ([GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/species/2437135)).

## Related pages

- [Mammals of Somalia](/en/nature/mammals-of-somalia/)

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List assessment](https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T2275A22324040.en)
- [GBIF species page](https://www.gbif.org/species/2437135)
- [GBIF occurrence records, Somalia](https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?country=SO&taxon_key=2437135)
- [Wikipedia (backup)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_hedgehog)

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