Hedgehog
The European Hedgehog, also known as the West European Hedgehog or Common Hedgehog, is a hedgehog species found in Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia.
The European Hedgehog appears generally brownish in colour with most of its body covered by up to 6,000 brown and white spines. Leucistic or “blonde” Hedgehogs occasionally occur. Such animals are believed to have a pair of rare recessive genes giving rise to their black eyes and creamy-colored spines. However, they are not strictly speaking albino. They are extremely rare except on North Ronaldsay and the Channel Island of Alderney where around 25% of the population is thought to be “blonde”. True albino forms of the Hedgehog do also occur infrequently.
The European Hedgehog is around 6.5 inches in length at weaning, increasing to 10 inches or more in large adults. Weight increases from around 4.2 ounces at weaning to more than 2.4 pounds in adults. The maximum recorded weight is 4.4 pounds although few wild specimens exceed 3.5 pounds even in autumn. Adult summer weight is typically somewhat less than in autumn with an average of around 1.8 pounds and adult weights commonly as low as 1.1 pounds. Males tend to be slightly larger than females but sex differences in body weight are overshadowed by enormous seasonal variation.
The European Hedgehog is endemic to Europe (including European Russia) with a global distribution extending from the UK and the Iberian Peninsula eastwards through much of west and central Europe and from south Fennoscandia and the north Baltic to north west Russia. It is also present on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Elba, Sicily and on most of the French Atlantic islands.
The European Hedgehog is found across a wide range of habitat types including woodland, grasslands such as meadows and pasture, arable land, orchards and vineyards as well as within the habitat types found in and around human settlements. It is most abundant within the gardens, parks and amenity land close to or within human settlements. It is generally scarce in areas of coniferous woodland, marshes and moorland, probably because of a lack of suitable sites and materials for the construction of winter nests. It generally prefers lowlands and hills up to around 2000 feet but it is also locally present on mountains, exceptionally up to an altitude of 6500 feet in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
The European Hedgehog is largely nocturnal. Unlike the smaller, warmer-climate hedgehog species, the European Hedgehog usually hibernates in the winter. However, most wake up at least once to move their nests. It is generally solitary in nature with mature males behaving aggressively towards each other.
The European Hedgehog is omnivorous but feeds mainly on slugs, earthworms, beetles, caterpillars, millipedes and other insects. Some fruits and mushrooms may supplement their diet.
The breeding season commences after hibernation. Pregnancies peak between May and July although they have been recorded as late as September. Gestation is 31 to 35 days. The female alone raises the litter which typically numbers between 4 and 6 although it can range from 2 to 10. The young are born blind with a covering of small spines. By the time they are 36 hours old, the second, outer coat of spines begins to sprout. By 11 days they can roll into a ball. Weaning occurs at 4 to 6 weeks of age.
The European Hedgehog may live to 10 years of age although the average life expectancy is 3 years. Starvation is the most common cause of death, usually occurring during hibernation. If alarmed, the European Hedgehog will roll into a ball to protect itself. Many potential predators are repelled by its spines but predation does occur. Remains have been found in the stomachs of Badgers, Red Foxes and Pine Martens. Eagle Owls and Golden Eagles are the only regular avian predators.
The European Hedgehog is generally widely distributed and it can be found in good numbers where people are tolerant of their residence in gardens. The IUCN classifies the European Hedgehog as “Least Concern” and the population as “Stable”. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is thought to be declining severely in the UK. In 2007 it was classified a Biodiversity Action Plan priority species in the UK, largely in response to negative trends identified in several national surveys. A recent review of these surveys now suggests that rural populations have declined by at least a half and urban populations by up to a third since 2000.
Date: 27th June 2018
Location: Dervaig, Mull, Argyll
The European Hedgehog appears generally brownish in colour with most of its body covered by up to 6,000 brown and white spines. Leucistic or “blonde” Hedgehogs occasionally occur. Such animals are believed to have a pair of rare recessive genes giving rise to their black eyes and creamy-colored spines. However, they are not strictly speaking albino. They are extremely rare except on North Ronaldsay and the Channel Island of Alderney where around 25% of the population is thought to be “blonde”. True albino forms of the Hedgehog do also occur infrequently.
The European Hedgehog is around 6.5 inches in length at weaning, increasing to 10 inches or more in large adults. Weight increases from around 4.2 ounces at weaning to more than 2.4 pounds in adults. The maximum recorded weight is 4.4 pounds although few wild specimens exceed 3.5 pounds even in autumn. Adult summer weight is typically somewhat less than in autumn with an average of around 1.8 pounds and adult weights commonly as low as 1.1 pounds. Males tend to be slightly larger than females but sex differences in body weight are overshadowed by enormous seasonal variation.
The European Hedgehog is endemic to Europe (including European Russia) with a global distribution extending from the UK and the Iberian Peninsula eastwards through much of west and central Europe and from south Fennoscandia and the north Baltic to north west Russia. It is also present on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Elba, Sicily and on most of the French Atlantic islands.
The European Hedgehog is found across a wide range of habitat types including woodland, grasslands such as meadows and pasture, arable land, orchards and vineyards as well as within the habitat types found in and around human settlements. It is most abundant within the gardens, parks and amenity land close to or within human settlements. It is generally scarce in areas of coniferous woodland, marshes and moorland, probably because of a lack of suitable sites and materials for the construction of winter nests. It generally prefers lowlands and hills up to around 2000 feet but it is also locally present on mountains, exceptionally up to an altitude of 6500 feet in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
The European Hedgehog is largely nocturnal. Unlike the smaller, warmer-climate hedgehog species, the European Hedgehog usually hibernates in the winter. However, most wake up at least once to move their nests. It is generally solitary in nature with mature males behaving aggressively towards each other.
The European Hedgehog is omnivorous but feeds mainly on slugs, earthworms, beetles, caterpillars, millipedes and other insects. Some fruits and mushrooms may supplement their diet.
The breeding season commences after hibernation. Pregnancies peak between May and July although they have been recorded as late as September. Gestation is 31 to 35 days. The female alone raises the litter which typically numbers between 4 and 6 although it can range from 2 to 10. The young are born blind with a covering of small spines. By the time they are 36 hours old, the second, outer coat of spines begins to sprout. By 11 days they can roll into a ball. Weaning occurs at 4 to 6 weeks of age.
The European Hedgehog may live to 10 years of age although the average life expectancy is 3 years. Starvation is the most common cause of death, usually occurring during hibernation. If alarmed, the European Hedgehog will roll into a ball to protect itself. Many potential predators are repelled by its spines but predation does occur. Remains have been found in the stomachs of Badgers, Red Foxes and Pine Martens. Eagle Owls and Golden Eagles are the only regular avian predators.
The European Hedgehog is generally widely distributed and it can be found in good numbers where people are tolerant of their residence in gardens. The IUCN classifies the European Hedgehog as “Least Concern” and the population as “Stable”. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is thought to be declining severely in the UK. In 2007 it was classified a Biodiversity Action Plan priority species in the UK, largely in response to negative trends identified in several national surveys. A recent review of these surveys now suggests that rural populations have declined by at least a half and urban populations by up to a third since 2000.
Date: 27th June 2018
Location: Dervaig, Mull, Argyll
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Also in: Other mammals
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