Scientific name : Erinaceinae
Family : Erinaceidae
Native to : Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand
Interesting fact : Its back is covered with about 5000-6500 spines or quills on an average. These are not barbed or poisonous.
There are seventeen different species of hedgehogs. Depending on the species, their fur is brown, white or yellowish, and baby spines are shed by the hedgehogs and replaced with adult spines. A hedgehog can roll into a tight ball with all the spines pointing outward. They are omnivores and their diet usually consists of insects, berries, melons, frogs or snakes. Depending on the species, hedgehogs have a litter of 3-6 after a gestation period of 35-58 days, and have a life span ranging from 2-7 years.
