Pictures and facts about the Hispaniolan solenodon

Hispaniolan solenodons (Solenodon paradoxus) were unknown to the world until 1833. They look like a shrew, but it is bigger. A Hispaniolan solenodon weighs from 600 grams to 1 full kg. Fur is brown-red, underside is of a paler hue. Legs, tail, eartips and the snout are all bald, and its claws have been given by Mother Nature for digging purposes. The female Hispaniolan solenodon can have (average-wise) 2 litters, where one set would have 1 to 3 newborns. Ordinarily, only a pair would survive, since the female just has two nipples. These nipples are located in a very unusual part: near its buttocks. There is a reason why these solenodons remained unknown for a long time: their nocturnal movements. Another is that it cannot be said that their numbers are big, thus, their bearing on the ecosystem is practically little. In day hours, they hide in the trees/burrows but if and when one comes out, a Hispaniolan solenodon goes with an ugly waddle, on a zigzag fashion. According to the local folks, they have never seen one that moved in a straight course. That is not to say that they move fast, relatively, they are clumsy when they run. It follows then that, if dogs or cats are loose, the odds that a solenodon would stay alive for long become scary (scary for them). What are their choice of foods: snails, worms, even small reptiles, but they also subsist on foliage and fruits. What these animals do is, they poke on the ground with the snout, then they go about digging. Those in captivity were observed to bathe frequently, and they would only drink during baths. Interesting fact: A poisonous saliva produced by one of its glands is part of this solenodon's personality. It is just one of the very few mammals who are venom-producing.