| Hedgehog - Erinaceus europaeus - Family: Erinoceidae
 Hedgehog - Erinaceus europaeus© Bob GibbonsThe hedgehog is a familiar nocturnal mammal that is very much at home in gardens and urban situations. It has spines covering the upper body and if threatened will roll into a ball. It is a solitary animal and the sexes only come together for breeding, which is generally between May and July. The male takes no part in rearing the young. The breeding nests are sited on the ground where the vegetation is dry. As with most small mammals, the survival rate of young hedgehogs is low. About one in five die within a few weeks of birth, though most may live for a couple of years at least. They are at greatest risk during the winter. They hibernate in nests, typically from October or November but occasionally if food is still available. These nests are often made beneath sheds, under tree roots, or in compost heaps, so be careful when digging yours out in the spring! If you should accidentally disturb a hibernating hedgehog, replace it somewhere sheltered - but cold - as soon as possible. Keeping it warm will make it active, forcing it to use its precious fat reserves and thus in all liklihood condemning it to an early death. Hedgehogs may also hibernate in woodpiles and this is why they are sometimes caught out by bonfires. You can buy specially designed hedgehog hibernation boxes but these should not be necessary in most gardens provided that they are not too manicured. Although usually silent, hedgehogs can produce quite a wide range of snuffles, snortings, hissings and clicking noises - perhaps this is one reason why 'hedgepig' is one of their many local names. The female uses bird-like whistles to call to her young and also makes piping sounds. Hedgehogs are very partial to slugs, and also eat earwigs, weevils, millipedes, cockchafers and caterpillars, consuming as many as 100 such invertebrates in a single night: so if you have a regular resident, consider yourself very fortunate. Given this diet, it's likely that any persistent pesticides used in the garden will accumulate in a hedgehog's fatty tissues. Hedghogs will also take young mammals such as voles, shrews, mice and moles; and the occasional frog or lizard. While the evidence linking slug pellets to hedgehog deaths is very scanty, such pellets almost certainly contribute to the decline in song thrushes in gardens and are best avoided. Some people like to put out food for hedgehogs: tinned cat or dog food is ideal, with a dish of water: droughts can be devastating to populations of hedgehogs. The benefits of cows' milk to hedgehogs have long been debated but they will appreciate it most in the autumn when the animals need to build up reserves of fat. You should make sure that shallow dishes are used so that the animal can easily reach the food. If you have a pond, ensure the edges slope gently. Although hedgehogs can swim, they may get trapped in steep-sided water bodies and drown. However, they can climb surprisingly well. FoodHedgehogs are opportunist feeders. They will eat insects, earthworms, slugs and similar creatures but occasionally also lizards, birds' eggs, small mammals, frogs and also berries and fruits. PlantsApple, Bramble, Pedunculate oak, Sessile oak PreyBeetles, Brown-lipped banded snail, Common earwig, Common frog, Common lizard, Leiobunum rotundum, Slow-worm, Slugs and snails, Speckled bush cricket, Wood mouse, Worms PredatorsBadger, Fox |
