Hedgehog

Hedgehog facts at a glance

How big is a hedgehog?

An adult hedgehog measures 25 cm long — about 14% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 1.0 kg, about 1% of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).

What is a group of hedgehogs called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

Spines and defense

A hedgehog's back is covered in around 5,000 stiff, hollow spines made of keratin, the same material as hair. When threatened it rolls into a tight ball, tucking its soft face, belly, and legs inside a protective sphere of quills that deters most predators.

Diet and foraging

Hedgehogs are insectivores that snuffle through leaf litter at night for beetles, worms, caterpillars, and slugs, which makes them a gardener's friend. They have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and hearing to locate prey in the dark.

Hibernation

In cooler regions hedgehogs hibernate through winter, building a nest of leaves called a hibernaculum and dropping their body temperature to survive on stored fat. They may wake and move nests during mild spells, so a hedgehog seen in deep winter is not necessarily in trouble.

Conservation

European hedgehogs were reclassified as Near Threatened as populations decline across much of their range. Roads, habitat loss, pesticides that reduce insect food, and tidy, fenced gardens all play a part. Leaving wild corners, gaps in fences, and shallow water helps hedgehogs thrive.

Did you know? Hedgehog facts

• The European hedgehog is a small, spiny, nocturnal mammal famous for rolling into a tight ball of quills when threatened.
• An adult hedgehog has roughly 5,000 to 7,000 spines. The spines are hollow, made of keratin, and are not barbed or poisonous, unlike a porcupine's quills.
• Hedgehogs are insectivores. They eat beetles, earthworms, caterpillars, slugs, and other invertebrates, which is why they are valued as natural pest controllers in gardens.
• European hedgehogs hibernate through winter in cooler climates, surviving on body fat in a nest of leaves. They may briefly wake to move during mild weather. Hedgehogs in warm regions may not hibernate at all.
• Hedgehog numbers have fallen due to habitat loss, busy roads, pesticide use that reduces their insect food, and gardens sealed off by solid fences. They are now listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
• Conservation: Near Threatened (IUCN).

Diet & feeding

Hedgehog feeds primarily as a insectivore. A hedgehog's back is covered in around 5,000 stiff, hollow spines made of keratin, the same material as hair. When threatened it rolls into a tight ball, tucking its soft face, belly, and legs inside a protective sphere of quills that deters most predators.

Adaptations

• A hedgehog's back is covered in around 5,000 stiff, hollow spines made of keratin, the same material as hair. When threatened it rolls into a tight ball, tucking its soft face, belly, and legs inside a protective sphere of quills that deters most predators.
• Hedgehogs are insectivores that snuffle through leaf litter at night for beetles, worms, caterpillars, and slugs, which makes them a gardener's friend. They have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and hearing to locate prey in the dark.

Behaviour & ecology

• A hedgehog's back is covered in around 5,000 stiff, hollow spines made of keratin, the same material as hair. When threatened it rolls into a tight ball, tucking its soft face, belly, and legs inside a protective sphere of quills that deters most predators.
• Hedgehogs are insectivores that snuffle through leaf litter at night for beetles, worms, caterpillars, and slugs, which makes them a gardener's friend. They have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell and hearing to locate prey in the dark.
• In cooler regions hedgehogs hibernate through winter, building a nest of leaves called a hibernaculum and dropping their body temperature to survive on stored fat. They may wake and move nests during mild spells, so a hedgehog seen in deep winter is not necessarily in trouble.

Communication

• Hedgehog uses scent, posture, and vocal signals to mark territory and coordinate social behaviour.
• Communication intensity often peaks during breeding seasons and territorial disputes.

Habitat & range

Hedgerows, woodland, and gardens

Ecological role

Hedgehog plays a recognised ecological role in hedgerows, woodland, and gardens.

Conservation status of the Hedgehog

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Hedgehog:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Near Threatened) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Erinaceus europaeus.

• iNaturalist — observations & photos

  Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Erinaceus europaeus. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.

• GBIF — occurrence data

  Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Erinaceus europaeus. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.

• IUCN Red List — Erinaceus europaeus.

  Conservation status (Near Threatened) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Erinaceus europaeus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Wikipedia — Hedgehog.

  General taxonomy and overview (cross-check primary sources).

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.