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The hedgehog’s back and sides are covered in 25mm (1 inch) long spines (which are really modified hairs). These are absent from the face, chest, belly, throat and legs which are covered with a coarse, grey-brown fur. There are approximately 5,000/7,000 spines on an average adult hedgehog.
A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction. There are no hedgehogs native to Australia and no living species native to the Americas.
Nov 6, 2020 · The hedgehog is a small mammal covered in spines, estimated to have evolved approximately 15 million years ago! It is an insectivore that is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. The hedgehog has also been introduced to New Zealand, where it is considered to be a pest.
Hedgehogs are easily recognized by their spines, which are hollow hairs made stiff with keratin. Their spines are not poisonous or barbed and unlike the quills of a porcupine , cannot easily be removed from the animal.
- They are pretty widespread and sociable. There are 17 species of hedgehog and they are found in Europe, Africa and Asia. In the UK they can live in a variety of habitats including woodland, farmland, parks and gardens.
- They are nightowls who don’t like the heat. Hedgehogs spend much of their life asleep, hibernating through the winter months of November and mid-March in a nest made from fallen leaves in a sheltered spot.
- They are lactose intolerant! It was once believed that hedgehogs stole milk straight from cows’ udders, which may have been why people so commonly leave milk out for them.
- They are carnivores. Despite their cute appearance these little spikey mammals are voracious predators and have a varied diet. Eating worms, slugs, earwigs, millipedes, beetles and other small inspects.
In A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare aligns the hedgehog with a whole host of unpleasant creatures: “You spotted snakes with double tongue, Thorny hedgehogs, not be seen; Newts and...
Jul 20, 2024 · The spine, a central feature, is particularly noteworthy. It is highly flexible, enabling the hedgehog to curl into a tight ball, a defensive posture that shields its vulnerable underbelly with a formidable array of spines. The skull of a hedgehog is another fascinating aspect of its anatomy.
