Latin name Erinaceus europaeus Class Mammals Group Hedgehogs

When people think of British wildlife, hedgehogs are usually pretty high on their list of favourite animals. Indeed, when St. Tiggywinkles (a wildlife hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire) opened its doors for the first time in August 1985, their visitor survey found that ‘prickles’ was people’s favourite form of wildlife. In 2005, a survey by the Royal Horticultural Society and the Wildlife Trusts (called Wild About Gardens) found the hedgehog to be Britain’s favourite wild animal – the survey’s 2,000 plus respondents helped Britain’s prickliest mammal knock the robin (Erithacus rubecula) into third place, kicking the fox (Vulpes vulpes) to number 12 and the badger (Meles meles) to number 15. A decade later and not much has changed. A survey of 5,000 participants in 2016 ranked the hedgehog as Britain’s favourite mammal with a clear majority; taking two-thirds of the votes. The fox was, however, promoted to second and the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) to third. That which follows is a brief diagnosis of the European hedgehog; the only hedgehog species found wild throughout the UK.

A European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). - Credit: Marc Baldwin

The European hedgehog at a glance

Size: Range from 24 to 35cm (9.5 – 14 in.) long; 2 to 5 cm (1 – 2 in.) is tail. Weigh between 500g (1 lb) and nearly 2 kg (4.5 lb); weight varies according to sex and season.

Colour: Spines (up to 7,000 on adult) on back, hair on underside. Generally brown in colour; spines have white/cream band. Leucistic individuals (white or pale yellow spines) known; partially leucistic and albino animals rare. No melanistic animals reported.

Distribution: Widespread (although perhaps declining) throughout lowlands of Britain (every county and most offshore islands), across much of western Europe north to southern Scandinavia and Finland, south to Mediterranean – found along treelines up to 2,000 m.

Longevity: Age determination difficult. Oldest captive specimen 15 yrs. Average age in wild widely cited as 5 or 6 yrs, although reality probably closer to 3 or 4 yrs, with maximum of about 8 yrs. New (unpublished) data from Denmark, however, suggest wild individuals can reach 16 yrs old.

Sexing: Impossible at distance; requires uncurling to assess distance between genitals and anus. Penis situated approx. medially (where one might expect to see a belly button).Activity: Largely nocturnal and widely cited that hedgehog out in daylight is sick, although daytime and particularly crepuscular activity has been documented in otherwise healthy (esp. nursing) animals. Range up to 2km per night, with males moving further than females. Hibernate during winter if climate requires.

Activity: Largely nocturnal and widely cited that hedgehog out in daylight is sick, although daytime and particularly crepuscular activity has been documented in otherwise healthy (esp. nursing) animals. Range up to 2km per night, with males moving further than females. Hibernate during winter if climate requires.

Dens: Build summer and winter (hibernacula) nests. Summer nests flimsy cf. hibernacula. May lie up in long grass during daytime in summer; typically exhibit low nest fidelity.

Territory: Solitary, with no evidence of territoriality. May range over relatively constant area (of up to 32 ha/79 ac. in males and 10 ha/25 ac. in females). Some scraps have been observed at feeding stations, but may be ‘unnatural’ situation; confrontation possibly avoided through scent-mediated mutual avoidance.

Diet: Adult beetles, earwigs and earthworms comprise bulk (~85%) of diet. Also take caterpillars, slugs, snails, bees, wasps, grasshoppers, centipedes, millipedes, flies and larvae. Plant material rare. Some evidence to suggest attacks on vertebrates (e.g. frogs, birds and small rodents) and raiding of bird nests for eggs. Readily takes carrion.

Reproduction: In UK breeding season (“rut”) runs from mid-May to late September. Peak births probably June/July, although some studies show peak courtship during August, leading to peak pregnancy during September. Mating usually preceded by aggressive courtship, involving circling, butting and grunting. Females polyoestrus; in favourable conditions can produce 2 litters. Ave. litter 4 or 5 (range = 2 to 11) after ~35 day gestation. Leave nest to forage with mother at 4 or 5 wks old (late-July); weaned by 6 to 8 wks and independent by 4 months. Late litters (“autumn ophans”) may have insufficient time to fatten up prior to hibernation.

Behaviour and Sociality: Generally solitary; often intolerant of conspecifics, although may tolerate company at feeding stations. Intriguing behaviour reported includes self-anointing (covering spines in frothy saliva-stimulant mix), running in circles, attacks on snakes, “suckling from cows” and carrying off fruit on spines – the latter two are widely considered unlikely.

Threats: Seemingly in decline throughout much of UK, although data are lacking. Many killed on roads. Strimmers, tidy gardens, bonfires and insecticides/molluscicides widely considered detrimental to population. High level of predation by badgers in some areas and some suggestion foxes may also take a toll locally, although evidence for the latter is lacking. Persecuted locally where implicated in bird declines. Protected by law in much of Europe.

European hedgehog in detail

Bibliography

A Prickly Affair: My life with hedgehogs - by Hugh Warwick

Penguin Books -- 2008 -- ISBN: 978-1846140655

Collins Field Guide: Mammals of Britain and Europe - by David MacDonald and Priscilla Barrett

HarperCollins Publishers -- 1993 -- ISBN: 978-0002197793

Dearest Prickles - by Walter & Christl Podushka

Neville Spearman -- 1972 -- ISBN: 978-0854352111

Hedgehogs - by Pat Morris

Whittet Books -- 2014 -- ISBN: 978-1873580905

Hedgehogs - by Nigel Reeve

T&AD Poyser Ltd. -- 1996 -- ISBN: 978-0856610813

Hedgehogs: A comprehensive study - by Konrad Herter

Phoenix House Publications -- 1996 -- ISBN: N/A

Mammals of the British Isles: Handbook, 4th Edition - by Stephen Harris and Derek Yalden (eds)

The Mammal Society -- 2008 -- ISBN: 978-0906282656

The natural history "bible" covering all British mammals with detailed coverage of their biology, behaviour, ecology and taxonomy written by experts in the field and referenced to the primary literature.

Mind the Gap: Postglacial colonization of Ireland - by John L. Davenport, David P. Sleeman & Peter C. Woodman (eds)

Irish Naturalists' Journal -- 2008

Nick Baker’s British Wildlife: A month by month guide - by Nick Baker

New Holland Publishers -- 2003 -- ISBN: 978-1845171131

Rescuing the Disappearing Hedgehog - by Toni Bunnell

Toni Bunnell -- 2016 -- ISBN: 978-1782808909

Silent Fields: The long decline of a nation’s wildlife - by Roger Lovegrove

Oxford Univesrity Press -- 2007 -- ISBN: 978-0199548156

Simon King’s Wildguide - by Simon King

BBC Books -- 1994 -- ISBN: 978-0563364962

St. Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital: Jaws the Hedgehog and Other Stories - by Les Stocker

Collins -- 1995 -- ISBN: 978-0006751816

The British Mammal Guide - by Steve Evans & Paul Wetton

Isabelline Films -- 2015 -- ISBN: N/A

The Complete Hedgehog - by Les Stocker

Chatto & Windus -- 1987 -- ISBN: 978-0701132729

The Darkness is Light Enough: The field journal of a night naturalist - by Chris Ferris

Sphere Books Ltd. -- 1986 -- ISBN: 978-0718126902

The Day of the Hedgehog - by Hedgehog Street

BHPS / PTES -- 2015

The Disappearing Hedgehog - by Toni Bunnell

Toni Bunnell -- 2014 -- ISBN: 978-1782802365

The Encyclopaedia of Mammals - by David MacDonald (ed.)

Brown Reference Group -- 2006 -- ISBN: 978-0199206087

The Hedgehog - by Maurice Burton

Corgi Publishing -- 1969 -- ISBN: 978-0552092104

The Hedgehog - by Pat Morris

The Mammal Society -- 2011 -- ISBN: 978-0906282717

The Natural Hedgehog - by Lenni Sykes & Jane Durrant

Gaia Books -- 1995 -- ISBN: 978-1856750738

The New Hedgehog Book - by Pat Morris

Whittet Books -- 2006 -- ISBN: 1-873580-71-1

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle - by Beatrix Potter

Collins/Frederick Warne & Co. -- 1905 -- ISBN: 978-0723247753

The Wildlife Trust’s Handbook of Garden Wildlife - by Nicholas Hammond

Bloombury -- 2014 -- ISBN: 978-1472915863

UK Mammals: Species Status & Population Trends - by The Tracking Mammals Partnership

JNCC/TMP -- 2005 -- ISBN: 978-1861075680

Urban Mammals: A Concise Guide - by David Wembridge

Whittet Books -- 2012 -- ISBN: 978-1873580851

Urban Wildlife - by Peter Shirley

Whittet Books -- 1996 -- ISBN: 978-1873580233

Wild Animals of Britain & Europe - by Helga Hofmann

HarperCollins Publishers -- 1995 -- ISBN: 978-0007627271

Wild Britain: Hedgehog - by Louise Spilsbury & Richard Spilsbury

Heinemann Library -- 2004 -- ISBN: 978-0431039381

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