Despite its formidable spines we all love the hedgehog. Although most of us don't see much of it, we still adore them. Apparently, they managed to survive 16 million years and now have to deal with man.

The common hedgehog has more than 5000 spines which are sharp, brown and cream coloured 1in (20-30 mm) long.

They hibernate in the winter and have their mating season in April. Three to five young are born in early summer in a leafy nest. When the babies are born they are blind and the quills under their skin like pimples. Soon their prickles break through the skin. This mother nature has it well arrange to protect the hedgehog mother during the birth.

When the hedgehog feels threatened it curls up in a ball and the spines coming out. The more it feels threatened the tighter it curls and the more the prickles stand up. It stays like that until it feels the danger it over. That is also the reason for many hedgehogs end up dead on the road because they don't run. Some species are not passive and ram their spikes into a snout which comes to close.

Their long legs and claws help them to climb walls. If they do fall they use their spikes as a cushion. It is assumed that they are also used to float since they are hollow with air trapped inside.

Hedgehogs are mostly active at night . Their diet are beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs, carrion and occasionally birds eggs. They are great pest controllers and eat about 200 gr a night.  Unfortunately, you can't make them stay in your garden because they are great wanderers.

They can be quite vocal and grunt, snuffle and even sometimes squeal loudly.

They live about 4 - 7 years.

They share diseases with Human being such as cancer, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular.

Hedgehogs were eaten in Egypt and up till and including the Middle Ages. Some folk remedies included them as an ingredient.