Species guide
European hedgehog
HarmlessErinaceus europaeus
How to recognise it
A small, round, night-active animal whose back and sides are covered in brown-and-cream spines; it rolls into a tight ball when alarmed. Common in UK and European gardens.
Is it dangerous?
Harmless and hugely beneficial, eating slugs, beetles and other pests. It may carry fleas or ticks but poses no real risk to people.
What to do
Leave wild ones be, and always check long grass, leaf piles and bonfires before strimming or lighting them.
Recorded 910,450 times in the wild worldwide.
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