National Hedgehog Day
Show these spiny creatures some love on #NationalHedgehogDay
2 February is National Hedgehog Day, the perfect opportunity to show these lovable creatures some love – but don’t get too close!
Research shows that National Hedgehog Day is both a Roman tradition preceding the modern Groundhog Day as well as the release date for the movie, Sonic The Hedgehog 3, in 1994 in the USA.
Hedgehogs are covered in spines which are actually hollow hairs stiffened by keratin. These spines are used as a defense mechanism – when the hedgehog is under threat, it rolls into a tight ball with all the spikes pointing outward. A somewhat less known use for the spines is that they are used during cocktail parties to hold cheese and pineapple chunks, although there is no photographic evidence of this – yet.
Hedgehogs rely heavily on their sense of smell: they use it to find food – even if it is buried under 2,5cm of soil – and can often sense the presence of danger. They tend to search for food mainly at night and are able to cover a distance of between two and three kilometres at a time.
There have been several famous hedgehogs in popular culture, the most famous – and certainly the fastest –probably being Sonic the Hedgehog. Mrs Tiggywinkle – another well-known hedgehog – was created by Beatrix Potter. Mrs Tiggywinkle was very good at laundry, although she never washed Sonic’s smelly takkies.
To celebrate National Hedgehog Day, you should remember the following when around them:
– When offering a hedgehog food, rather use dog or cat food instead of milk or bread
– You should always have an escape route from your pond or water feature for a hedgehog to use
– Before lighting any bonfires, always check the area to ensure there are no hedgehogs around
– To encourage visits from these spiny creatures, leave gaps in walls and fences.
Use #NationalHedgehogDay to post on social media.
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