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Hogging the Hedge
| Article
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20519 |
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Section : |
NATURAL SCIENCE
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| Issue
Date : |
5 / 1992 |
1,510 Words |
| Author
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Kenneth Mellanby
Kenneth Mellanby was the founder-director of Monks Wood
Experimental Station, the premier ecological research center
in Britain. |
The hedgehog is a favorite animal among children in Britain and in Europe. This is true probably because it is the subject of Beatrix Potter's delightful children's book The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle, which has been a best-seller for the last 50 years. Potter's book does not give a very accurate picture of her subject, but she makes the hedgehog into a lovable creature, and awakens her readers' interests enough to make them further study the real animals.
The European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus, is common in Britain and most of Europe. Closely allied species are found throughout Asia. As it is generally nocturnal, many people are unaware of the substantial numbers of these animals in their gardens and in the countryside generally. An adult hedgehog may be 10 inches long and weigh 2 pounds. The most notable feature of the hedgehog is that its body is covered with sharp spines, which are its main defense against predators. The spines are modified hairs, which normally lie flat on the body, pointing backwards, but when the animal is alarmed they are erected, protecting the animal from attack.
The spines are made most effective by the hedgehog's ability to roll itself into a ball, so every part of the body is enclosed by the spiny skin. The animal can maintain this position for long periods if the danger (e.g. a dog or cat sniffing around) persists. Even foxes and badgers are usually foiled by the spines, though they sometimes succeed in getting through the hedgehog's defenses. Foxes are said to roll the hedgehogs into water, where they uncurl and can be more easily attacked.
To Eat And Be Eaten
The hedgehog's diet is quite varied. Hedgehogs belong to the order Insectivora and consume insects in considerable numbers. Worms and slugs, however, may make up the bulk of their food. Gardeners generally encourage hedgehogs, since they eat large quantities of pests. They also eat carrion and some vegetable matter. Some hedgehogs seem particularly fond of strawberries! People who wish to encourage hedgehogs in their gardens often put out saucers of milk and commercial brands of cat and dog food. Where food is put out regularly, these animals come to feed as soon as the food is available, and they may become at least partially domesticated and show little fear of people.
In the past, hedgehogs were looked upon as pests, and bounties were paid to those who killed them. It is true that they may eat the eggs of ground-nesting birds,
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