European hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
Adult hedgehogs have coarse grey and brown hair on their face, legs and stomach with thousands of brown, grey and white spines on the rest of their body, each spin is 2 cms long.
Hibernation takes place between the colder months of December to March when food supplies are scarce. Unknown to many, hedgehogs are great swimmers and good climbers.
The European hedgehog is protected by law, making it illegal to cause unnecessary suffering, kill or capture them.
An average adult European hedgehog is 25cms long with a 3cms tail. They can weigh between 600-900 grams.
IUCN Status
The IUCN status of the European hedgehog is least concern.
For more info on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org (link opens in new window).
Fun fact
Hedgehogs are nocturnal and hibernate in winter