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    European hedgehog

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    The gardener’s best friend, as they will eat up insect pests crawling in the vegetable beds

    Michael Gäbler

    The European hedgehog is brown and covered with up to 6000 spines except for its underside. The spines are hollow, and each spine is 2 to 3cm (0.8 to 1.2 inches) long, which can be used as a defense when they roll into a tight ball. Their tail is very short and almost vestigial.

    Generally, they are widely distributed and can be spotted in parks and gardens. They eat a wide variety of invertebrates, bird eggs, and amphibians. They love to feed on beetles, ants, bees, wasps, earwigs, moths, and butterflies. During the winter, they hibernate in their nest made of leaves that are usually under sheds or log piles.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    Austria
    2016
    Belgium
    2016
    Croatia
    2016
    Czechia
    2016
    Denmark
    2016
    Estonia
    2016
    Finland
    2016
    France
    2016
    Germany
    2016
    Ireland
    2016
    Italy
    2016
    Latvia
    2016
    Luxembourg
    2016
    Netherlands
    2016
    Norway
    2016
    Poland
    2016
    Portugal
    2016
    Russia
    2016
    Slovenia
    2016
    Spain
    2016
    Sweden
    2016
    Switzerland
    2016
    United Kingdom
    2016

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Least Concern(IUCN)
    World Population
    Added by BioDB
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    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Erinaceus europaeus Other names:

    West European hedgehog
    Common hedgehog

    Physical traits

    Length: 260 mm (10 in) Weight: >1,100 g (2.4 pounds) Lifespan: 3 – 10 years Speed: 19 km/h (12 mph) Gestation: 31 – 35 days Offspring: 4 – 6 young
    Habitats: Forest Savannah/Grassland
    Regions: Asia Europe
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