Happy Hedgehog Day! Did you know that thousands of years ago, before Groundhog Day became a tradition, Romans would celebrate a similar event on the exact same day only with these adorable animals? The only difference is that they would look to see if the little creatures saw their shadows under a clear moon at night. And if they did, that meant that there are six more weeks of winter left. And the Romans weren't the only ones to look up to hedgehogs for advice or praise them for their unique qualities. Classical Persians saw hedgehogs as sacred because of their dedication to destroying agricultural pests. From fairytales and cartoons to video games - this prickly creature is a true icon.

Though the seventeen species of our beloved cute hedgehogs spend their days as wild animals all over Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand, they are often kept as pets, too. However, a hedgehog pet isn't an easy keeper for an inexperienced owner, as they need a very specific diet and a lot of room to exercise. Never try to take one of these animals from wild, but try to buy a baby hedgehog from domesticated hedgehog breeders.

To celebrate Hedgehog Day, Bored Panda has put together a list of hedgehog photos looking adorable as ever! Keep on scrolling to take a look, and be sure to vote for the cutest photos.