European hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus · The European hedgehog is a spiny, mostly nocturnal insect-eating mammal native to Europe, from Iberia and Italy north into Scandinavia and west into Ireland.

Also called Common hedgehog, West European hedgehog, Western European Hedgehog, Northern Hedgehog, Western Hedgehog.

European hedgehog
Photo: Charlie From Bristol, CC BY 2.0
European hedgehog
Photo: Michael Gäbler, CC BY-SA 3.0
European hedgehog
Photo: I, Jörg Hempel, CC BY-SA 2.0 de

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderEulipotyphla
FamilyErinaceidae
GenusErinaceus
SpeciesErinaceus europaeus

Where it lives

Woodland edges, gardens and farmland of western Europe.

Fun facts

  • A European hedgehog can be covered by up to 6000 brown and white spines.
  • On North Ronaldsay and Alderney, around a quarter of hedgehogs are thought to be blonde, with creamy-coloured spines and black eyes.
  • Baby hedgehogs are born blind with small spines, and by 11 days old they can already roll into a ball.
  • Hedgehogs mostly eat earthworms, along with snails, slugs, beetles and other insects, which is why gardeners love them.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).