European hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus, the European hedgehog (Erinaceidae), has a 16–26 cm head-body length, a 2–3 cm tail and a weight of 500–1200 g, rising to a recorded 2000 g before winter. Some 5,000–6,000 hollow keratin spines cover the back, and the animal rolls into a spiny ball when threatened. It is native to western and central Europe, from Ireland and Iberia to southern Scandinavia, and was introduced to New Zealand in the nineteenth century. It feeds mainly on earthworms, travelling 1–2 km a night, and hibernates from autumn. IUCN assessed it as Near Threatened in 2024.