Home range and shelter site selection in the greater hedgehog tenrec in the dry deciduous forest of Western Madagascar

Information on the spatial distribution and habitat use of the Tenrecidae (Supraorder: Afrotheria) of Madagascar are severely lacking. Here, we present the first data available on home range size, as well as further data on population distribution and rest site selection of a large tenrec, the greater hedgehog tenrec (Setifer setosus). Data were collected over two rainy seasons in the dry deciduous woodland of Western Madagascar, in Ankarafantsika National Park. Home ranges were surprisingly large for a 200-300-g animal: males had an average home range (95% minimum convex polygon) of 13.7 +/- 4.9?ha (n = 5), and females of 6.7 +/- 2.0?ha (n = 5). A high overlap between multiple individuals of the opposite sex supports a promiscuous mating system for this species. Daytime shelter sites proved to be highly variable and differed between sex and reproductive status.