Hedgehog facts

Hedgehog – Erinaceus Europaeus

The European hedgehog is found throughout Europe and in New Zealand where it was introduced in the last century. Their distant relatives are shrews and moles and fossils suggest that hedgehog-like creatures have been on the earth for about 15 million years. Their preferred habitat is forest, scrub and farmland as well as being very common in gardens.

Hedgehogs are insectivores, their diet mainly consisting of beetles, caterpillars and earthworms. They are nocturnal animals and commonly live for 3-4 years. Spines on a hedgehog are actually modified hairs numbering between 5000 and 7000 on an adult hedgehog. It also has a tail 2-3 cms long. They are solitary creatures and tend to go out of their way to avoid other hedgehogs, except during the breeding season which is from May to September.