The Moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura), or greater moonrat, is a species of insectivore native to Southeast Asia. Despite its name, it is not a rodent, and is more closely related to hedgehogs and moles. The moonrat is an omnivore, eating many different small creatures such as insects, frogs, birds, lizards, and eggs. They will also eat fruit. They are nocturnal and terrestrial and spend most of the day in a burrow or under a log. They also are very good swimmers and can close their nostrils underwater to search for fish and worms.
Moonrats release strong odors with a strong ammonia content to mark the edges of their territories and warn other moonrats to stay away with threatening hisses also to ward off predators. Adults live alone. When they are preparing to have young, they will make nests mostly from leaves. Females usually have two babies at one time.