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Hedgehog

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This article is about the spiny mammal. For other uses, seeHedgehog (disambiguation).

Hedgehogs[1]
Temporal range:Late Eocene – Recent
European hedgehog
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Erinaceidae
Subfamily: Erinaceinae
G. Fischer,1814
Type genus
Erinaceus
Genera

Ahedgehogis a spinymammalof the subfamilyErinaceinae,in theeulipotyphlanfamilyErinaceidae.There are seventeen species of hedgehog in fivegenerafound throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction. There are no hedgehogs native to Australia and no living species native to the Americas. However, the extinct genusAmphechinuswas once present in North America.

Hedgehogs share distant ancestry withshrews(family Soricidae), withgymnurespossibly being the intermediate link, and they have changed little over the last fifteen million years.[2]Like many of the first mammals, they have adapted to a nocturnal way of life.[3]Their spiny protection resembles that ofporcupines,which are rodents, andechidnas,a type ofmonotreme.

Etymology

The namehedgehogcame into use around the year 1450, derived from theMiddle Englishheyghoge,fromheyg,hegge( "hedge" ), because it frequentshedgerows,andhoge,hogge( "hog" ), from its piglike snout.[4]Another name that is used ishedgepig.[5]

Description

Hedgehogs are easily recognized by theirspines,which are hollow hairs made stiff withkeratin.[6]Their spines are notpoisonousorbarbedand, unlike the quills of aporcupine,do not easily detach from their bodies. However, the immature animal's spines normally fall out as they are replaced with adult spines. This is called "quilling". Spines can also shed when the animal is diseased or under extreme stress. Hedgehogs are usually brown, with pale tips to the spines, though blonde hedgehogs are found on the Channel Island ofAlderney.

A skin-skeletal preparation
Close-up of the last 5 millimetres (0.20 in) of a hedgehog spine (SEMmicroscopy)
A hedgehog that feels threatened can roll into a tight ball.

Hedgehogs roll into a tight spiny ball when threatened, tucking in the furry face, feet, and belly.[6]The hedgehog's back contains two large muscles that direct the quills. Some light-weight desert hedgehog species with fewer spines are more likely to flee or attack, ramming an intruder with the spines, rolling up only as a last resort.

Hedgehogs are primarilynocturnal,with some species also active during the day. Hedgehogs sleep for a large portion of the day under bushes, grasses, rocks, or most commonly in dens dug underground. All wild hedgehogs canhibernate,though the duration depends on temperature, species, and abundance of food.

Hedgehogs are fairly vocal, with a variety of grunts, snuffles and/or squeals.

They occasionally perform a ritual calledanointing.[7]When the animal encounters a new scent, it will lick and bite the source, then form a scented froth in its mouth and paste it on itsspineswith itstongue.Some experts believe this might serve tocamouflagethe hedgehog with the local scent, and might also lead to infection of predators poked by the spines. Anointing is sometimes also calledantingafter a similar behavior in birds.

Likeopossums,mice, andmoles,hedgehogs have some naturalimmunityagainst somesnake venomthrough the proteinerinacinin their muscles, though in such small amounts that aviperbite may still be fatal.[8]In addition, hedgehogs are one of four known mammalian groups with natural protection against another snake venom,α-neurotoxin.Developing independently,pigs,honey badgers,mongooses,and hedgehogs all have mutations in thenicotinic acetylcholine receptorthat prevent the binding of thesnake venomα-neurotoxin.[9]

Thesense of smellhas been little studied in the hedgehog, as the olfactory part of the mammal brain is obscured inside theneopallium.Tests have suggested that hedgehogs share the same olfactory electrical activity as cats.[10]

Diet

Although traditionally classified in the abandoned orderInsectivora,hedgehogs areomnivorous.They feed oninsects,snails,frogsandtoads,snakes,bird eggs,carrion,mushrooms,grass roots,berries,andmelons.[6]Afghan hedgehogsdevour berries in early spring after hibernation.[citation needed] Hedgehogs have been observed eating cat food left outdoors for pets, but this may not be a proper food for hedgehogs in captivity.[video:1]

Hibernation

When a hedgehog hibernates, its normal 30–35 °C (86–95 °F) body temperature decreases to 2–5 °C (36–41 °F).[11]

Reproduction and lifespan

Hedgehoggestationlasts 35–58 days, depending on species. The average litter is 3–4 newborns for larger species and 5–6 for smaller ones. As with many animals, it is not unusual for an adult male hedgehog to kill newborn males.

Hedgehogs have a relatively long lifespan for their size. In captivity, lack of predators and controlled diet contribute to a lifespan of 8–10 years depending on size. In the wild, larger species live 4–7 years (some recorded up to 16 years), and smaller species live 2–4 years (4–7 incaptivity). This compares to a mouse at 2 years and a largeratat 3–5 years.

Newborn hoglets are blind, with their quills covered by a protective membrane which dries and shrinks over several hours,[12]and falls off after cleaning, allowing the quills to emerge.[13]

Predators

The various species have many predators: while forest hedgehogs are prey primarily to birds (especiallyowls) andferrets,smaller species like thelong-eared hedgehogare prey tofoxes,wolves,andmongooses.Hedgehog bones have been found in the pellets of theEurasian eagle owl.[14]

In Britain, the main predator is theEuropean badger.European hedgehogpopulations in the United Kingdom are lower in areas with many badgers,[15]and hedgehog rescue societies will not release hedgehogs into known badger territories.[16]Badgers also compete with hedgehogs for food.[17]

Domestication

Main article:Domesticated hedgehog
African pygmy hedgehogbeing held

The most common pet species of hedgehog arehybridsof the white-bellied hedgehog orfour-toed hedgehog(Atelerix albiventris) and the smallerNorth African hedgehog(A. algirus,pygmy hedgehog).[18]Other species kept as pets are thelong-eared hedgehog(Hemiechinus auritus) and theIndian long-eared hedgehog(H. collaris).

As of 2019it is illegal to own a hedgehog as a pet in four US states including Hawaii, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and California,[19]as well as New York City, Washington, DC and some Canadian municipalities, and breeding licenses are required. No such restrictions exist in most European countries with the exception ofScandinavia.InItaly,it is illegal to keep wild hedgehogs as pets.[20]

As invasive species

In areas where hedgehogs have been introduced,such as New Zealandand the islands ofScotland,the hedgehog has become a pest, lacking natural predators. In New Zealand it has decimated native species including insects,snails,lizards and ground-nesting birds, particularly shore birds.[21]

Eradication can be troublesome. Attempts toeliminatehedgehogs from bird colonies on the Scottish islands ofNorth UistandBenbeculain theOuter Hebrideswere met with international protest. Eradication began in 2003 with 690 hedgehogs killed, though animal welfare groups attempted rescues. By 2007,legal injunctionsprohibited the killing, and in 2008, the elimination process was changed to trapping and releasing on the mainland.[22]

In 2022, it was reported that the hedgehog population in rural Britain was declining rapidly, down by 30%-75% since 2000.[23]

Diseases

Hedgehogs suffer many diseases common to mammals,[24]including cancer,fatty liver disease,andcardiovascular disease.

Cancer is very common in hedgehogs. The most common issquamous cell carcinoma,which spreads quickly from bone to the organs, unlike in humans. Surgery to remove the bone tumors is impractical.

Fatty liver and heart disease are believed to be caused by bad diet and obesity. Hedgehogs will eagerly eat foods high in fat and sugar, despite a metabolism adapted for low-fat, protein-rich insects.

Hedgehogs are also highly susceptible to pneumonia, with difficulty breathing and nasal discharge,[25]caused by the bacteriumBordetella bronchiseptica.[26]

Hedgehogs uncommonly transmit a fungalringwormordermatophytosisskin infection to human handlers and other hedgehogs, caused byTrichophytonerinacei,a distinct mating group among theArthrodermabenhamiaefungi.[27]

caption
Hedgehog suffering from balloon syndrome before deflating

Hedgehogs can suffer fromballoon syndrome,a rare condition in which gas is trapped under the skin from injury or infection, causing the animal to inflate. The condition is unique to hedgehogs because their skin is baggy enough to curl up.[28]In 2017 theBBCreported a case of a male hedgehog "almost twice its natural size, literally blown up like a beach ball with incredibly taut skin".[29][30]AtStapeley's Wildlife Hospital, vet Bev Panto, said, "I have seen three or four of these cases and they are very strange every time and quite shocking... When you first see them they appear to be very big hedgehogs but when you pick them up they feel so light because they are mostly air".[28]The British Hedgehog Preservation Society advises:

There is no single cause for this condition. The air can be removed by incising or aspirating through the skin over the back. Antibiotic cover should be given. This may be associated with lung/chest wall damage or a small external wound acting like a valve or a clostridium type infection.[31]

Human influence

As with most small mammals living around humans, many are run over as they attempt to cross roadways. InIreland,hedgehogs are one of the most common mammalian road fatalities. Between April 2008 and November 2010 on two stretches of road measuring 227 km and 32.5 km there were 133 recorded hedgehog fatalities. Of another 135 hedgehog carcasses collected from throughout Ireland, there were significantly more males than females collected, with peaks in male deaths occurring in May and June. Female deaths outnumbered males only in August, with further peaks in female deaths observed in June and July. It is suggested that these peaks are related to the breeding season (adults) and dispersal/exploration following independence.[32]

Domesticated hedgehogscan get their heads stuck in tubes such as toilet paper tubes, and walk around with them. Some owners call this "tubing" and promote the behavior, providing a tube cut lengthwise to allow the hedgehog to remove it. Some hedgehogs intentionally wear tubes for hours.[33]

Culinary and medicinal use

Hedgehogs are a food source in many cultures. They were eaten inAncient Egyptand some recipes of theLate Middle Agescall for hedgehog meat.[34]They are traded throughout Eurasia and Africa for traditional medicine and witchcraft. In the Middle East and especially amongBedouins,hedgehog meat is considered medicine againstrheumatismandarthritis.[35]Hedgehogs are also said to cure a variety of disorders fromtuberculosisto impotence. InMorocco,inhaling the smoke of the burnt skin or bristles supposedly remedies fever, impotence, and urinary illnesses; the blood is sold as a cure forringworm,cracked skin andwarts,and the flesh is eaten as a remedy for witchcraft.[36]Romani peoplestill eat hedgehogs, boiled or roasted, and also use the blood and the fat as a medicine.[37]

In 1981, British publican Philip Lewis developed a line ofHedgehog Flavoured Crisps,whose taste was apparently based on the flavourings used by Romani to bake hedgehogs.[38][39]As they did not contain any actual hedgehog product, theOffice of Fair Tradingordered him to change the name to Hedgehog Flavour Crisps.[40]

  • Hedgehog amulet from Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18. Steatite. Cleveland Museum of Art. 1391 BCE to 1353 BCE
    Hedgehog amulet from Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18. Steatite. Cleveland Museum of Art. 1391 BCE to 1353 BCE
  • Ceramic rhyton in the form of a hedgehog. Mycenaean. 14th to 13th century BCE
    Ceramic rhyton in the form of a hedgehog. Mycenaean. 14th to 13th century BCE
  • Hedgehog sculpture. Faience. Ancient Egypt, Thebes. 1991 BCE to 1778 BCE
    Hedgehog sculpture. Faience. Ancient Egypt, Thebes. 1991 BCE to 1778 BCE

Genera and species

Long-eared hedgehog
See also:List of erinaceids

SubfamilyErinaceinae(hedgehogs)[1]

Society and culture

Main article:Hedgehogs in culture

In worldwide folklore, hedgehogs are associated with intelligence and wisdom (Asia, Europe), and magic (Africa).[41]

See also

References

  1. ^abHutterer, R. (2005)."Order Erinaceomorpha".InWilson, D.E.;Reeder, D.M (eds.).Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference(3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 212–217.ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0.OCLC62265494.
  2. ^Reiter C, Gould GC (1998). "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Hedgehog".Natural History.107(6): 52.
  3. ^"WildlifeTrust.org.uk".WildlifeTrust.org.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2013.Retrieved28 February2013.
  4. ^Oxford English Dictionary, Online edition. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
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  6. ^abcAttenborough, David (2014).Attenborough's Natural Curiosities 2.Vol. Armoured Animals. UKTV.
  7. ^Drew, Lisa W. (1 June 2005)."Meet the Hedgehog: What feeds on lizards, chews venomous toad skins and coats its spiky body with frothy saliva?".National Wildlife.Reston, Virginia:National Wildlife Federation.Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2015.Retrieved12 July2017.
  8. ^Omori-Satoha, Tamotsu; Yoshio Yamakawab; Dietrich Mebs (November 2000). "The antihemorrhagic factor, erinacin, from the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), a metalloprotease inhibitor of large molecular size possessing ficolin/opsonin P35 lectin domains".Toxicon.38(11): 1561–80.doi:10.1016/S0041-0101(00)00090-8.PMID10775756.
  9. ^Drabeck, D.H.; Dean, A.M.; Jansa, S.A. (1 June 2015). "Why the honey badger don't care: Convergent evolution of venom-targeted nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in mammals that survive venomous snake bites".Toxicon.99:68–72.doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.03.007.PMID25796346.
  10. ^Adrian, E. D. (1942)."Olfactory reactions in the brain of the hedgehog".The Journal of Physiology.100(4): 459–473.doi:10.1113/jphysiol.1942.sp003955.PMC1393326.PMID16991539.
  11. ^Suomalainen, Paavo; Sarajas, Samuli (1 August 1951)."Heart-beat of the Hibernating Hedgehog".Nature.168(4266): 211.Bibcode:1951Natur.168..211S.doi:10.1038/168211b0.ISSN0028-0836.PMID14875055.S2CID4158610.
  12. ^Litter – Burlington and MIDI (2004-04-19)Archived10 July 2009 at theWayback Machine.hamorhollow
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  27. ^Takahashi, Yoko; Ayako Sano; Kayoko Takizawa; Kazutaka Fukushima; Makoto Miyaji; Kazuko Nishimura (2003)."The epidemiology and mating behavior ofArthroderma benhamiaevar.erinaceiin household four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) in Japan "(PDF).Japanese Journal of Medical Mycology.44(1): 31–8.doi:10.3314/jjmm.44.31.PMID12590257.Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 November 2003.
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  32. ^Haigh, Amy; O'Riordan, Ruth M.; Butler, Fidelma (2014)."HedgehogErinaceus europaeusmortality on Irish roads ".Wildlife Biology.20(3): 155–160.doi:10.2981/wlb.12126.
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  38. ^Emerson, Richard (24 April 2012).Read the Label!: Discover what's really in your food.Random House. p. 81.ISBN978-1-4481-4684-0.Archivedfrom the original on 10 February 2023.Retrieved22 July2022.
  39. ^"Hedgehog Crisps' Welshpool inventor dies, aged 74".Shropshire Star.28 February 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 20 June 2021.Retrieved7 August2021.
  40. ^"Hedgehog Crisps' Welshpool inventor dies, aged 74".Shropshire Star.28 February 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 27 October 2021.Retrieved15 September2021.
  41. ^Palmer, Nigel (29 March 2023)."Hedgehogs in folklore".Wildlife Matters.Retrieved16 June2024.

External links

Look uphedgehogin Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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