The hedgehog is various genera of small prickly carnivorous mammals of the order Insectivora, family Erinaceidae covered with spines in lieu of hair. They are solitary, nocturnal animals living in small thickets and feeding on caterpillars, beetles, slugs, worms, young mice, eggs and fruit. Hedgehogs are fond of raw or roasted flesh, and will devour cockroaches in large numbers when kept in houses.
By means of a special muscle the hedgehog is able to roll itself up into a ball, and in this form can defy most of its enemies. It has a rudimentary tail, elongated nose, short ears, with a cranium comparatively broad. The hind feet have five toes, and strong coarse hair covers some parts of the body. The teeth are numerous. Hedgehogs grow to about 30 centimetres long and can live up to six years. The hedgehog hibernates in winter. The female bears four to eight young at a birth, the young soon becoming covered with prickles. It is found in Britain and in most parts of Europe. Other species are found in Asia and Africa. Hedgehogs are so called on account of their cooked flesh closely resembling that of the hog or pig. Research Hedgehog
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Nature
Research Hedgehog
