The Better India's wildlife series, Species in Focus: 52 species, explores rare, endangered, and little-known species of India, their habitats, behavior, ecological role, and conservation status. This series tells the story of a small, spiny mammal that is difficult to identify and how a Tamil comic helps change this situation.
The comic, titled Mullikkaattu Ithigaasam – 'Legend of the Scrub Forest,' was created to introduce children to the Menadras hedgehog, or Mulleli, and the scrub it calls home. Ecologist Pravin Kumar, in collaboration with artist Venkatesh Babu, developed this comic in the Tamil language. Through the narrative, they present the animal to children, explain its place in the ecosystem, and address some perceptions related to its spines and medicinal uses.
The Menadras hedgehog (Paraechinus nudiventris) is an endemic species of the Indian peninsula, yet it remains one of the least studied mammals in the country. Currently, there are no reliable population estimates for this species. Although the comic helps children discover an animal they might never see, documents and scientific studies analyzed by The Better India show why this little-known mammal warrants attention.
Scrub Hedgehog
It is important to note that the Menadras hedgehog differs from the Indian hedgehog found in the northwestern parts of India. Its historical range covers the entire Indian peninsula, with records from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. A 2024 study by Pravin Kumar and William T Bean, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, analyzed past and current records of the species. It was established that its current climatic niche is concentrated in the low-lying, semi-arid regions of South and Central Tamil Nadu. Researchers described the species as existing in isolated pockets and highlighted habitat loss and direct destruction as threats.
First Signs Appeared on Roads
Some of the clearest evidence of road mortality does not come from recent traffic accident databases. In a 2018 article published in Mammalia, Pravin Kumar, Jacques Togo, and Ranjit Singh analyzed available distribution records and documented additional habitats and threats. Between 2012 and 2017, researchers recorded the species in 103 locations in Tamil Nadu, including 18 live sightings. They also documented instances of road deaths. Two cases were noted in 2013—one in Kotapalayam in Tiruppur district, and another in Papanasam in Tirunelveli district. The Papanasam record was made in the foothills of the Kalakad–Mundanturai tiger reserve.
From June 2014 to February 2016, wind farm workers reported the death of another 16 Menadras hedgehogs along the Radhapuram and Gangai Kondan roads in Tirunelveli district. This data is important because it points to mortality on specific roads during a defined period. However, it does not provide information on the number of hedgehogs dying on roads across all of Tamil Nadu annually.
When threatened, the hedgehog curls into a tight ball, raising its spines for protection against predators. However, on a road, this defense is largely ineffective against a fast-moving vehicle. The animal's instinct is to curl up rather than run, rendering its natural armor useless against car wheels. A 2024 study published in Conservation assessed the species' distribution using field visits, local resident surveys, and rescue records collected between 2012 and 2022. Researchers gathered 230 observations across 19 districts of Tamil Nadu. Nevertheless, 230 observations cannot be equated with 230 animals or a population estimate. An observation only informs researchers of the animal's presence in a specific place and time; it cannot determine if the population is declining, nor can it ascertain if two seemingly separate cases belong to the same population. This is the main challenge in understanding this species. Currently, the IUCN classifies the Menadras hedgehog as Least Concern.
What is Happening Beyond the Map?
The situation becomes more complex when land use is considered. In Tenkasi district, a 2025 study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa surveyed 1141 people across 38 villages to understand their perception and interaction with the species. The study documented reports of hunting and the use of hedgehog body parts. Among those who reported hunting, 38% cited the skin, 41% cited the spines, and 19% cited the meat. The study also recorded road deaths and identified habitat loss and urbanization as conservation issues.
How Much Habitat Is Actually Left?
Another 2025 study, conducted by ecologists Pravin Kumar, Tekke Tambat Shamer, Abinesh Mutaiyan, and Sophie Lund Rasmussen, aimed to identify areas that can be prioritized for conservation. Using fieldwork conducted from June 2016 to March 2023, researchers estimated about 7,737 sq km of suitable habitat for the species in Tamil Nadu. However, the picture remains incomplete.
Tamil Nadu Starts Looking Closer
In January 2026, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department began its first specialized study of the Menadras hedgehog in the forests of Tuticorin district. This annual study aims to contribute to the conservation action plan. Reports indicate that the state government has allocated 20.5 lakh rupees for the conservation of the Menadras hedgehog for 2025–26.
The Comic Returns Here
A tiger or an elephant does not require an introduction. The Menadras hedgehog does not possess such fame. Even local residents may know about the animal through local names, beliefs, or chance encounters, rather than through conservation messaging. Mullikkaattu Ithigaasam attempts to change this by placing the hedgehog within the story of the scrub forest. Documented cases of death in Kotapalayam and Papanasam in 2013, 16 road deaths recorded along the Radhapuram and Gangai Kondan roads between 2014 and 2016, as well as rescue and sighting records collected before 2022, do not tell us how many Menadras hedgehogs remain. This is the paradox of a species currently classified as Least Concern: its official status coexists with a lack of population data. For now, one of the simplest ways to make the Menadras hedgehog more visible is to give it a place in the stories children grow up with.