Hedgehog Facts
A hedgehog is a small spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, covered in protective spines that look like a porcupine's.
- Class
- Mammal
About the hedgehog
There are 17 hedgehog species spread over five genera, living in parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, plus New Zealand, where people introduced them. Australia has no native hedgehogs, and the Americas have no living native species, though the extinct genus Amphechinus once lived in North America. Their spines resemble those of porcupines, which are rodents, and of echidnas, which are monotremes, yet these animals are not close relatives.
Hedgehogs share distant roots with shrews and have barely changed in 15 million years. Like many mammals, they are active at night. In Europe, they are often taken to wildlife clinics. Because they stress easily around people, sometimes fatally, clinics advise a dark box with airflow and little noise and handling them as little as possible.
Did you know?
- Gymnures may be the link between hedgehogs and their shrew relatives.
- Hedgehogs belong to the family Erinaceidae, along with their close relatives.
- Amphechinus, an extinct hedgehog genus, once lived in North America.
Questions about the hedgehog
Where do hedgehogs live?
In parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, plus New Zealand, where people brought them.
Are hedgehogs nocturnal?
Yes. Like many mammals, hedgehogs have adapted to a nighttime way of life.
Sources
- Wikidata Q6120, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Hedgehog, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.