Hedgehog

Named for its habit of rooting through hedges and undergrowth for tasty insects, hedgehogs are any of the spiny mammals within the subfamily Erinaceinae. They are endemic to Europe, Asia, and Africa, and have also been introduced to New Zealand. Did you know that the hedgehog’s spines are actually hollow and hardened pieces of hair? Learn more about this astounding animal with our life-like and hand painted model! Standing 2.5 inches tall and 3.5 inches long, this figurine is a touch larger than a deck of cards stood on its side. Hedgehog spines are brown and tan, and their undersides are usually white. Hedgehog species are actually split up among 5 different genera, including Atelerix, Erinaceus, Hemiechinus, Mesechinus, and, Paraechinus. There are currently 16 known species of hedgehog, all of which are natively found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the areas hedgehogs have been introduced, they are considered a pest and an invasive species, and cause serious damage to many endemic forms of wildlife that they directly compete with.