The common tenrec (
Tenrec ecaudatus), found on the island of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands between Madagascar and Africa, bears the largest litter. The litter—born in December and January—averages ten to twenty, each weighing about .5 ounce. With her twelve or more nipples, the mother tenrec nurses her young about 3 weeks. In 2 months they reach maturity. A litter of thirty-one was born at the Wassenaar Zoo in the Netherlands in 1972; thirty survived to maturity. The mother had twenty-four nipples.
The tenrec, one of the largest living insectivores, has been introduced to Reunion, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. Adults measure about 12 to 16 inches in length and are covered with a mixture of hair, bristles, and spines. They use their pointed snout to dig for worms, insects, and grubs, although they sometimes eat vegetation, fruit, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals.
