Native to Madagascar, it is also found on the Comoros, Mauritius, Réunion, and Seychelles island groups, where it has been purposely introduced.

[2] Its natural habitat is the understory of subtropical-tropical forest, open forest, arid shrub-land, savanna, arable land, pastures, crop plantations, private gardens, and some landscaped, urban areas.

[2] It has medium-sized, coarse grey to reddish-grey fur and long, sharp spines along its body.

The animal is omnivorous and, unlike the herbivorous rodents for which it is often mistaken, possesses small, needle-like sharp teeth for a diet of larger invertebrates, frogs, reptiles, mice and other small mammals, as well as fruits, leaves and other vegetation.

[3] If threatened, this tenrec will scream, erect its spiny hairs to a crest, jump, buck and bite.