• Question: what kind of animals did tenrecs evolve into?

    Asked by bobsyouruncle to Sive on 20 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Sive Finlay

      Sive Finlay answered on 20 Nov 2013:


      Hey,
      Tenrecs are a family of mammals. They evolved from a common mammal ancestor from mainland Africa which somehow crossed the sea to get to the island of Madagascar (probably by floating on some sort of vegetation). This common ancestor evolved into 34 different species of tenrec, most of which stayed on Madagascar. Two species, however, of otter shrews (which are actually tenrecs) made it back to the mainland and now live in central Africa!
      Sive

Comments