» The Eurasian hedgehog has between 5000 and 7000 spines on its back and sides, each erected by its own muscle, creating a defense difficult for predators to penetrate.
» When a hedgehog rolls into a ball at the approach of danger, a special muscle draws its loose skin together (like a drawstring on a bag) over its head and rump.
» From Roman to medieval times in Europe, it was believed that hedgehogs often carried a supply of fruit with them, impaled on their spines.
» Over 150,000 hedgehogs are killed every year on the roads of France alone.
» The moonrats of Southeast Asia and China are closely related to hedgehogs, but have no spines.
» The long-eared and desert hedgehogs of Asia and North Africa dig their own individual, short burrows.
» Hedgehogs can go without water for long periods, and if dehydrated will drink half their bodyweight in one go.
» A male western European hedgehog has a foraging territory of up to 35 hectares.
» Lack of food rather than cooling temperatures causes a hedgehog to hibernate.
» The hedgehog keeps up a ceaseless whistling sound while hunting for food.
Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:17 pm
