Hedgehog

A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera found 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 genus Amphechinus was once present in North America. Hedgehogs share distant ancestry with shrews (family Soricidae), with gymnures possibly being the intermediate link, and they have changed little over the last 15 million years. Like many mammals, they have adapted to a nocturnal way of life. Their spiny protection resembles that of porcupines, which are rodents, and echidnas, a type of monotreme. Hedgehogs are commonly brought to wildlife clinics in Europe. They are sensitive and easily stressed by humans, which can sometimes be fatal. Therefore, when hedgehogs are captured for treatment, clinics recommend keeping them in a dark, ventilated box with minimal noise and avoiding frequent handling or other interactions.