Hedgehog is a spiny mammal, found mainly in Britian. It belongs to Erinaceinae family. There are seventeen known species of hedgehog, which are divided into five genera. These are found in Britain mainly, but now we can see them in Asia, Africa and New Zealand too. Here are some facts about Hedgehog.
- Physical description: The body length of a common hedgehog is 15 – 30 cm, while its weight can be up to 2 Kg. Body of a hedgehog can be covered with 6,000 spines. Spines are brown in color but their tips are white.
- Diet: Hedgehog eats small vertebrates, like slugs and earthworms. They also eat eggs of ground nesting birds.
- Behavior: Theses are nocturnal animals which live solitary. However, their behavior changes with season. In summer they live in nests, during the day, while in winters they hibernate during the night. Many animals die during hibernation. Spines are their mode of protection from predators.
- Senses: Eyesight of hedgehog is very poor, while their smelling and hearing abilities are really good.
- Lifespan: Life span of a common hedgehog is 3 years, while rarely they can live up to 10 years. In dry and cold summers, its lifespan gets shortened.