Schleich - Hedgehog

Did you know there are 17 species of hedgehog?

They are found in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and were introduced in New Zealand by settlers.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, often sleep during the day in a nest or under bushes and shrubs before coming out to feed at night.

Hedgehogs are not related to other spine covered creatures such as the porcupine or echidna.

The spines of a hedgehogs, are stiff hollow hairs, they are not poisonous or barbed and cannot be easily removed, they fall out naturally when a hedgehog sheds its baby spines and grows adult spines a process called "quilling".

Hedgehogs have about 5,000 to 6,500 spines at any one time.

Most hedgehog species will roll into a tight ball if threatened, making it hard for its attacker to get past the spiky defences.

A baby hedgehog is called a hoglet.