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Hedgehog: Graineog: Erinaceus europaeus.


It is unique among Irish animals in having a spiny jacket for defence. Its dumpy body and slow motion renders it vulnerable. When in danger, it draws its back legs up to its head and rolls into a spring ball. However, the cute fox or badger finds the soft underbody by turning it over and their next meal is ready. It is an expert climber of walls, runs and swims. Hedgehogs are nocturnal, looking for birds eggs, berries, insects, slugs, earthworms, snails, millipedes and young mice after dark.

Mating occurs in the spring and four or five young are born in the summer. Due to high mortality (on roads), only two or three may survive to the winter.

Frequently found amongst the dead leaves in the garden rubbish, they are most common in wooded areas preferring broad leafed trees which are not too dense. The hedgehog may have several nests of grass and leaves for cover, they do not tunnel.

[The Rabbit] [The Badger] [Ivy] [Honeysuckle] [Moss] [Common Oak] [Pedunculate Oak] [Lichens] [Common Lime]
[The Hedgehog] [The Bramble] [The Chiffchaff] [The Frog Hopper] [Hawthorn] [Tree Roots]
[The Wood Mouse] [The Pigmy Shrew] [The Sycamore] [The Guelder Rose] [The Ash] [Gorse] [Hazel] [Tootworth]
[Goat Willow] [The Rowan] [Common White Beam] [Spindle] [Dog Rose] [The Blackthorn] [Birds] [Grasshoppers & Crickets] [Dragonfly & Damesify] [Feral Goat] [Silver Birch] [Pine Martin] [Fungi] [Lough Carra] [Brown Trout] [The Mute Swan]
[The Otter] [Limestone] [Holly] [The Fox] [The Mighty Oak] [Common Polypody] [Treecreeper] [The Irish Stoat]
[The Hornbeam] [Bats]