Small, spiny insect-eaters of Europe, Asia and Africa that roll into a tight ball when threatened. There are 17 species; the European hedgehog is the familiar garden one.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Insects only
Mostly insects, worms and slugs, which is why gardeners like having them around.
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Hibernates?Yes
All wild hedgehogs can hibernate. Body temperature drops from about 30–35 °C to as low as 2–5 °C.
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
The pet kind is mostly the African pygmy hedgehog. Keeping a wild hedgehog is illegal in some countries, such as France and Italy.
Do people eat it?In places
Eaten in ancient Egypt and medieval Europe, and still eaten by some Romani communities.
At a glance
Found inEurope, Asia, Africa
HabitatForest, Farmland, Towns, Grassland
ColoursBrown
SizeSmall
LengthUp to about 26 cm (European)
Weight0.8–1.2 kg (European)
Legs4
Covered inSpines
Lives alone
Lives for3–7 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Europe, Asia and Africa; none native to the Americas or Australia. The European hedgehog was introduced to New Zealand, where it is now a pest.
- What it eats
- Insects, worms, slugs and snails, plus eggs, carrion and fallen fruit.
Did you know
Immune to quite a lot of snake venom.
The European hedgehog is now listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.
Often confused with
Sources
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