Tailless tenrec

Apologies for the poor picture, but it's been nearly 40 years since I last saw this species - fascinating creatures, part hedgehog, part piglet and perhaps a touch of womble. They finally became active around 4 pm.
A keeper told me she really liked them, particularly the fierce individual which attacks the primate keepers! Tenrec House next to macaques, Paignton, February 19th 2012.

gentle lemur said:

A keeper told me she really liked them, particularly the fierce individual which attacks the primate keepers!

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Now I'm imagining the tenrec keeper taking it out on a leash and setting it on the chimp keeper! "Get him Tobermory!"

Chlidonias said:

Now I'm imagining the tenrec keeper taking it out on a leash and setting it on the chimp keeper! "Get him Tobermory!"

Click to expand...

She actually called him 'Bitey'

Part of their fascination for me is that I can't help thinking that those early mammals that spent most of their time keeping out of the way of the dinosaurs' feet must have been a little like these tenrecs.

Alan