Long-eared Hedgehog - Palestine

The Palestinian flag is similar in design and color to several other nations using the Pan-Arab style. This design style includes using the colors black, white, red, and green, usually as horizontal strips, but there are slight deviations. Egypt uses no red while South Sudan adds a blue chevron and a yellow star.

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Hemiechinus auritus - The long-eared hedgehog has distinctive long ears to dissipate heat and to help in locating insects, the hedgehog’s primary food. The long-eared hedgehog goes through one breeding cycle per year, usually produces 2 to 3 young. The pups are born without a full set of spines, but there are some lodged under a protective membrane. As this coating begins to loosen and fall away, the quills begin to emerge and stiffen up. Within two weeks of birth the pups will have a full set of functioning quills.

Common Kestrel - Palestine

Falco tinnunculus - The common kestrel has a wide distribution range throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are considered one of the smaller birds of prey and are noted for their long tail and spotted plumage. The males are smaller and have less spotting patterns than the females. Kestrels prefer hanging in a steady up-draft at heights of 10 to 20 meters to scan the ground for potential prey. Their preferred diet consists primarily of small rodents: shrews, mice, and voles.

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The State of Palestine declared its independence in November of 1988, but is not fully recognized by every nation. The United Nations regards Palestine as an observer state. The only other nation given this status is the Vatican City. A claim of statehood is classified as either “de jure” meaning in law or “de facto” meaning in fact. The State of Palestine is recognized as a “de jure” entity. There are several “countries” in the world not allocated the full recognition necessary to make them true sovereign states.