- There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found through parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction.
- Hedgehogs have a coat of stiff, sharp spines- hollow hairs made stiff with keratin. The spines cover the body except for the underside, legs, face, and ears. If attacked they will curl into a prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators
- The underside is covered by a sparse, coarse coat, ranging from white to black
- Most species weigh under 700 grams (1.5 pounds)
- They are capable of short bursts of speed, raising their body high off the ground as they run on the hairless soles of their feet.
- Hedgehogs are fairly vocal and communicate through a combination of grunts, snuffles and/or squeals, depending on species.
- The bulk of their diet consists of insects, worms, centipedes, snails, mice, frogs, and snakes
- Hedgehog shelter by day beneath vegetation, in rock crevices, beneath overhanging rock ledges, or in burrows
- Some species, including the West European hedgehog, hibernate during the winter months
