Hedgehogs
These cute creatures make little hog snorts while rustling through hedgerows, which is why they are called hedgehogs! With sweet little faces, soft chests and tummies, and spines on their back for protection, they can move speedily when needed.
Here's some fun facts about hedgehogs:
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Hedgehogs can have up to 7,000 spines which are like thick hollow hairs.
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If hedgehogs feel scared, they have strong back muscles that pulls their soft skin tight around them like a drawstring bag so they can become a prickly ball.
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They sleep all day in nests made of leaves and wake up to explore at night.
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Hedgehogs have poor eyesight, but they have an amazing sense of smell and fantastic hearing to make up for it.
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Hedgehogs are excellent climbers and if they need to escape danger or cross a stream, are good swimmers.
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Hedgehogs love their food and can eat up to a third of their body weight in one night!
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Baby hedgehogs are called hoglets and when they’re born, their spines are hidden under a bubbly layer of skin, so they don't hurt their mum.
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Hedgehogs hibernate through the Winter and wake up with the Spring to hunt for food.
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A group of hedgehogs is called a prickle.
How Your Family Can Help Hedgehogs
If there are hedgehogs in your garden, leave out a shallow bowl of water for them so they can have a drink, but never give them milk as it makes them very poorly.
If you want to give hedgehogs who visit your garden something to eat, they like wet cat food.
You can make a ‘hedgehog highway’ in your garden fence so they can wander between different gardens on their nightly search for food.