This week, join Wildlife Matters for an adventure. Get comfortable as we are about to take you on a fascinating journey to look at hedgehogs around the world.
The Hedgehog is one of our favourite mammals in the UK and is a member of the Erinaceinae subfamily of the Erinaceidae family. There are five genera of hedgehogs and sixteen distinct species that can be found globally – except in the Americas and Australia. From African deserts to frigid Russian winters, these small mammals have done wonderfully well to survive for thousands of years.
So, let’s take a few moments to appreciate these remarkable creatures and consider where they live worldwide.
Somali Hedgehog Atelerix sclateri
The Somali Hedgehog is a mysterious creature inhabiting only Somalia’s outer borders. Despite being a subject of study for zoologists and a fascination to animal enthusiasts alike, very little is known about this species of hedgehog.
We do know that they are a savanna species, meaning they prefer to live in grasslands and other open areas, which is distinctly different from most hedgehog species. Visually striking, the contrast between their soft white bellies and black or dark brown legs is a sight.
Measuring just 4 to 6 inches or 12-14 cm in length and weighing just 60-65 grams, these small creatures are fast and agile—a key ability for any wild animal but vital in open landscapes with limited cover to hide away from predators. Their range is limited to Northern Somalia, where they scurry through the tall grasses beneath the starry sky. They are nocturnal.
The Somali Hedgehog remains an enigma that human curiosity has yet to solve, but its unique qualities suggest a fascinating creature with unknown potential.
Southern African Hedgehog Atelerix frontalis
The Southern African hedgehog is up to 8 inches (20 cm) long with brown spines and fur and a white stripe running across its forehead. It is said to be a slow mover, but it can move surprisingly fast when threatened, at 6-7 km/h (~4-5 mph).
Southern African hedgehogs throughout South Africa, including Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. During the day, they rest where they live or in a hole in the ground. They are nocturnal.
During the day, hedgehogs typically stay where they live, in an area covered with vegetation or in a hole in the ground. When they rest, they curl up into a ball. They are nocturnal.
A single litter of Southern African hedgehogs usually contains one to nine pups, born after an approximately 35-day gestation period.
The young are most likely to appear during the summer months, from October through March. Each baby weighs roughly 10g at birth and lacks fur or sight. Their soft spines will drop out after a month and be replaced with permanent quills.
The diet of wild hedgehogs mainly consists of insects such as earthworms and crickets, but the human impact has changed their behaviour. They now tend to feed on mostly invertebrates like beetles, grasshoppers, and slugs, as well as frogs, lizards, and pet food found near dwellings.
Although large bodies of water are rare in this geographic area, the animals don’t need them to survive; most of their hydration comes from the food they eat.
North African hedgehog (Atelerix algirus)
The North African or Algerian hedgehog is a species of hedgehog in the family Erinaceidae, found in Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Spain, and Tunisia.
Being native to Africa, it is assumed that humans introduced the hedgehog to other nations outside its natural habitat.
This hedgehog typically measures 8 and 10 inches long and can weigh up to 650 grams — smaller than European hedgehogs but larger than other African types. It also has a longer snout and legs, making it a faster runner. Its face tends to be lighter in colour, usually white, while the legs and head are brown.
Not much is known about the North African hedgehog’s preferred habitat. It’s been spotted in Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests in mountainous regions of Spain and northern Africa. Still, the environment has to be suitable, as they cannot survive in desert areas.
The gestation period of these hedgehogs is between one month and six weeks. They usually have up to ten hoglets per litter, with two litters each season between October and March. The hoglets are born with no hair and soft spines, which are not replaced by rigid, stiff spines until approximately four weeks after birth. Hoglets typically weigh 12 to 20 grams at birth.
Four-toed Hedgehog, Atelerix albiventris
A four-toed hedgehog is tiny. Its oval body measures 8.3 inches in length and weighs between 225 and 600 grams.
Females are usually larger than males. Both sexes have short legs, and their tails are about an inch long. They have long noses and pea-sized eyes, whilst their large ears and whiskers imply which senses they use most. As the name suggests, this hedgehog has four toes on each back foot, not including its hallux – a trait that sets it apart from the hedgehog species.
The four-toed hedgehog’s colouring can vary greatly. They generally have brown or grey spines tipped with white or cream-coloured fur. The fur is mottled grey, while the muzzle and leg fur are brown with white accents underneath the body.
Four-toed hedgehogs can be found throughout Central Africa, extending from Gambia and Senegal in the West to Somalia in the East and even down south to Mozambique. However, they prefer grassy areas or open woodland habitats to higher altitudes. They are not found over 6000 ft above sea level.
The four-toed hedgehog is a night-dwelling solitary animal. It typically traverses the ground but can climb and swim when necessary.
Its high energy levels allow it to cover much territory in one night as it hunts for insects, grubs, snails, spiders, plants, and even small animals. The four-toed hedgehog has a reputation for its resistance to poisons, being known to consume scorpions and venomous snakes.
Female four-toed hedgehogs are always fertile and do not enter estrus during certain seasons. Mating is popular during the rainy season due to the plentiful food supply. On average, litters contain between two and ten hoglets, with four to five being a typical-sized clan.
Four-toed Hedgehog
Amur Hedgehog Erinaceus amurensis
The Amur is a Hedgehog known by many names. Also known as the Manchurian and Chinese Hedgehog, it is similar to its European cousin in size and behaviour.
They are 12 to 15 inches long and weigh 700 – 1000 grams as adults. These hedgehogs originate from Russia’s Amur Oblast and Primorye regions but have spread to China and other parts of the Korean Peninsula.
The Amur hedgehog’s head and body length are between 160 and 290 mm (6 and 11 in), and its tail is very short.
Its spines are two-toned, with some plain white and others having light or yellowish-brown bases and tips with mid- to dark-brown shades in between.
These solitary creatures come together only for mating purposes. At night, they forage for insects, worms, centipedes, snails, mice, frogs, and other small animals. During the autumn months, these animals enter a state of torpor until the springtime, when they emerge again from hibernation. A typical litter consists of 4 to 6 babies.
Southern White-breasted Hedgehog Eranaceus concolor
The Southern white-breasted hedgehog, also known as the white-bellied or white-chested hedgehog, is a species native to parts of Eastern Europe and Southwestern Asia.
It is often mistaken for the more common European hedgehog due to its similar physical size, features, and behaviour. However, it can be discerned from this species by the presence of a white patch on its chest. This makes it difficult to identify at night!
In contrast to other hedgehogs, the Southern White builds its nest out of grasses on the surface.
Since the 1990s, ecologists have established that the Northern White-breasted hedgehog, formerly classified as a subspecies, is a distinct species from the Southern White, bringing the total number of known hedgehog species up to sixteen.
Southern white breasted Hedgehog
Northern white-breasted hedgehog Erinaceus romantics
Whilst very similar to the European hedgehog and the Southern white-breasted hedgehog, which it was previously considered to be a sub-species of, little study has been done on this species. Consequently, much of our knowledge is based on the European hedgehog, to which it is very closely related, being of a very similar size, appearance, and behaviour.
The only physical difference between the northern and southern white species is their jawbone structure, making it almost impossible to tell them apart without further examination.
Their range is vast; they live in Poland, Austria, Greece, and its Adriatic Islands like Crete, Corfu and Rhodes. They are also spread across Russia and Ukraine, east to the Ob River in Siberia.
Since the 1990s, new genetic and morphological research has deemed the Northern white a species as its entity, with five subspecies – E. romantics roumanicus, E. roumanicus bolkayi, E. roumanicus drozdovskii, E. roumanicus nesiotes, and E. roumanicus palliduswith five subspecies – E. romantics roumanicus, E. roumanicus bolkayi, E. roumanicus drozdovskii, E. roumanicus nesiotes, and E. roumanicus pallidus
Northern White-breasted Hedgehog
European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus
Many people perceive the European hedgehog as a hedgehog, and it has featured strongly in our culture and literature—who doesn’t love Mrs. Tiggywinkle, or Sonic for the younger generation?
They are found in most European countries, including Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, etc.
They can survive across a wide variety of different habitats and climate conditions, hence their widespread existence.
Physically, E. europaeus is the largest species of hedgehog, growing 12 to 15 inches or more in length and weighing 800 to 1200 grams. Their primary colour is brown/black with brown/cream fur on their lower body, but there are also blonde and leucistic variants.
They’re primarily nocturnal and stoic, with the only aggressiveness occurring between two males, mainly during the breeding season.
They are omnivores, primarily eating earthworms and insects, but will enjoy fruits and berries and have been known to take eggs from ground-nesting bird nests.
In the UK, the hedgehog population has declined severely due to habitat loss, hedgerow loss, and systemic pesticide usage in agriculture. Less than a million hedgehogs are estimated to be left in the UK today, a shocking 95% decline over the last few decades.
Work is being done, particularly in urban areas where populations begin to recover in gardens. Still, the rural population appears to be in near-term decline, primarily due to the changes in modern farming practices, with the systemic use of pesticides removing their main food sources, the removal of hedgerow boundaries to allow for ever-larger agricultural machinery and the lack of field boundaries.
The hedgehog is fast becoming an urban wild animal in the UK, and its main threat comes from humans in vehicles. It is estimated that at least 250,000 hedgehogs are killed each year on UK roads.
Long-eared Hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus
The long-eared hedgehog has a wide range throughout Central Asia and some areas of the Middle East.
They use burrows for shelter, digging their own or finding abandoned ones. One of the exciting features of this species is its long ears, which stand out among other hedgehogs. Its head and body length ranges from 120 to 270 mm, while its tail measures between 10 and 50 mm.
The ears of the long-eared hedgehog are longer than any spine found on its body, ranging from 30 to 45 mm. These creatures use them to keep cool in the desert environment. They also have excellent hearing and a sense of smell that they use to find food and evade predators.
Although the long-eared hedgehog may be small, it is mighty and adequately equipped to handle the harsh conditions of its habitat.
The long-eared hedgehog is an insectivore, and up to 70% of its diet consists of insects, some worms, and an occasional slug or snail.
It breeds only once a year in the summer, from July to September. The female has 2 or 3 hoglets after 35–42 days of pregnancy. After one week, these newborns can eat solid food.
The long-eared hedgehog prefers moderate climates, avoiding scorching deserts and chilly mountain regions. It thrives in areas that receive 100–400 mm of rain annually.
They like to make their homes in burrows they’ve dug beneath bushes, which typically measure around 45 cm long and have just one opening. Sometimes, they’ll take over abandoned burrows made by other small animals instead. These nocturnal creatures rest under rocks, hollows, or rock piles during the day.
Long-eared Hedgehog
Indian Long-eared Hedgehog Hemiechinus collaris
The Indian long-eared hedgehog has an elongated body and spines embedded in a muscle sheath. Still, it’s distinct from the long-eared hedgehogs living in the arid regions of Pakistan and northwestern India.
They are small for hedgehogs, measuring up to 17 cm from head to tail and weighing between 200 and 500 grams.
The Indian long-eared hedgehog has very well-developed senses, which help it find food and potential mates. It feeds mainly on insects and gets most of the water it needs from its food supply.
They are known for their elaborate mating ritual, which involves the male “dancing” around the female for several days before mating. It is believed that the ‘dancing’ brings the female into oestrous, and the estrogen release stimulates her to lower her spines so that they can then mate.
Like many hedgehog species, they are nocturnal seasonal breeders; males are active from March to August, while females are active from April to August.
Daurian Hedgehog Mesechinus dauuricus
The Daurian hedgehog is a small solitary species found in Transbaikal, Russia, and Northern Mongolia. This area is sometimes referred to as Dauria, hence the name.
Daurian hedgehogs make their dens in forests, grassland plains, and shrublands. A fully grown adult can reach up to 15-20 cm long, head to tail, and weigh between 600 and 1000 grams.
They typically live up to 6 years in their natural environment and hibernate during winter like other hedgehogs in temperate regions.
After heavy pesticide use in the 1960s, the population of the Daurian hedgehog was greatly affected but appears to have recovered since then. In common with other hedgehogs, they are now moving towards cities as they find more food sources there, better protection from agricultural activities, and an increase in human support that provides sustenance for them.
Hugh’s Hedgehog Mesechinus hughi,
Hugh’s hedgehogs, or central Chinese hedgehogs, are native to Manchuria and the middle of China.
They thrive in dry areas but can also be seen in woodlands and grassy places.
Hugh’s hedgehogs are distinct from the others as they have one longer toe on each front foot – helping them dig out grubs from their burrows. Even more fascinating is that Hugh’s hedgehogs sometimes feed during the day, which is uncommon for any other species of this small animal as they’re all nocturnal.
Desert Hedgehog Paraechinus aethiopicus
The desert hedgehog is one of the smallest species, measuring between 5.5 to 11 inches (140 to 280 mm) and typically weighing 10 to 18 ounces (280 to 510 g).
They can be identified by their long banded spines, which, when threatened, tense up, causing the quills to stick out in all directions.
Mating season for desert hedgehogs generally begins in March after they have come out of hibernation. The female usually gives birth to around six young, either in a burrow or hidden nest, after a gestation period of 30-40 days.
When born, the spines are located just under the skin to prevent any damage during delivery. After about 21 days, the eyes open, and the young desert hedgehogs become weaned 40 days later.
Desert hedgehogs are native to various locations in and around Northern Africa and Southwest Asia, including Bahrain, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It has also been reported that these animals may reside in Ethiopia.
Brandt’s Hedgehog Paraechinus hypomelas
Brandt’s hedgehog is an inhabitant of the Middle East and Central Asia, first identified by Johann Friedrich von Brandt.
This species of desert hedgehog is about 600-1000 grams in weight and 25 cm in length, with large ears like a long-eared hedgehog but with lighter spines. They are also much quicker runners than their cousins.
They are nocturnal and usually find shelter in deserts or on mountainsides during the day. If they get too hot, they dig dens and submerge themselves beneath the sand. When temperatures drop, they hibernate.
A unique research study on Brandt’s physiology revealed that its skin composition has three layers—the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis—as opposed to most other hedgehogs, which only have two.
Brandt’s hedgehog has four subspecies: Paraechinus hypomelas blanfordi, Paraechinus hypomelas hypomelas, Paraechinus hypomelas niger and Paraechinus hypomelas seniculus
Indian Hedgehog Paraechinus micropus
The Indian hedgehog is a short-tailed hedgehog native to India and Pakistan. It lives in sandy deserts as well as other habitats.
Indian hedgehogs have a mask-like face, similar to a raccoon, with a dark upper region that lightens at its crown.
Adult males typically weigh 425 grams while adult females are smaller, 325 grams, making both sexes smaller than the long-eared hedgehog. However, they are more agile on their feet, have a fast reaction time, and are capable of running at speed.
Their bodies are generally brown and stocky. They boast a short head with a pointed nose and tiny eyes, while their ears are relatively large.
They have five toes on each foot, topped off with small but strong claws, all blending into a grey-brown colour.
The Indian hedgehog has a broad diet, eating insects, frogs, toads, bird eggs, snakes, and scorpions.
They don’t hibernate, but when the temperature drops and food becomes scarce, they lower their metabolic rate and enter a state of torpor.
As protection from predators, the upper side of their body is covered with prickly spines that help them roll into a ball in times of danger.
They are excellent diggers and make burrows about 45 cm deep, which they use for hiding and sleeping. They are always on the lookout for abandoned burrows that are open for occupation.
Indian hedgehogs are one of the species known to practice self-anointing, which involves spreading saliva on their spines and fur after experiencing something unfamiliar. This behaviour can arise in both sexes and at any age or time of year.
Male and female Indian hedgehogs only come together to mate, and the female is responsible for caring for and raising the family of up to three hoglets alone. It is common within the hedgehog species that the male plays no part in the family’s upbringing.
We hope you have enjoyed seeing the many and varied species of hedgehogs that live in diverse habitats, from the arid deserts through the temperate climate of Europe and Asia to the chill of the Baltic regions of Russia and China.
We have travelled around the world to observe these animals as they dig their dens, curl up into protective balls against predators, and run freely through fields.
If you feel motivated to help protect hedgehogs in your area, you will find many local community groups doing fantastic work to protect their local hedgehogs.
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