1. Hedgehog
Kendra Thoen

2. Erinaceinae
15 species
the hedgehog was named because these animals root through & other undergrowth in search of food
closely related to the shrew family
unrelated to the porcupine even though they look alike

3. Size: head & body, 5 to 12 inches
tail, 1 to 2 inches
Weight: 14 to 39 oz

4. population
Hedgehogs now appear to be declining at the same rate that tigers are globally - around 5% a year in rural and urban areas

5. Group: Array or Prickle
Young: Hoglet
Left: Male hedgehog called a boar. Right: Female hedgehog called a sow.

6. mating usually solitary, pairing up only to mate
when they mate they make loud snuffling noises
the male circles the female to persuade her to mate
they separate after & the male takes no part in the family

7. reproduction
hedgehogs meet sexual maturity during the 2nd year of life
reproduction can occur anytime between Sept & April, but the period of greatest activity occurs in May & June
Gestation Period: 30 to 40 days

8. the hedgehog life hedgehogs are born blind & their spines are soft
their mother will feed them until they can hunt for themselves
after about 4 weeks, the mom will take her young out for their 1st hunting trip & then 10 days after that the family will separate
starting in Oct they build nests of leaves & grass so they can hibernate when winter comes
lifespan is 2 to 5 years

9. habitat mainly hedgerows, woodland and meadows
also found in sub-urban gardens
within their habitat, they normally have a few sleeping nests
hedgehogs are nocturnal, after dusk they leave nests to forage for food

10. diet insects, worms, centipedes, snails, mice, frogs & snakes
some people think hedgehogs are useful pets because they prey on many common garden pests
while they hunt, they rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because their eyesight is weak

11. food chain

12. facts coats are thick & spiney, provides defense against fox
when they feel alarmed, they’ll curl up into a ball to protect their stomach
have about 5000 spines, each spine lasts about a year then drops out & a replacement grows
may be up to 500 fleas on 1 hedgehog, this hedgehog flea rarely bites humans

13. works cited