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Let’s talk about one of CEED’s animal ambassadors – the hedgehog!

Although they share some similarities with the equally spiky porcupine, make no mistake that the hedgehog is not a rodent like the porcupine. Instead, hedgehogs are most closely related to shrews, a group of very small mammals distantly related to carnivores, bats, and deer. Like other small mammals, hedgehogs have adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle and some defensive measures.

The eye-catching spines on a hedgehog’s back are its most notable feature. These spines are made out of hair and made stiff by keratin. They are not barbed or venomous and do not easily detach from the hedgehog’s body. They are used as a defensive mechanism to ward off predators, as the animal curls into a ball to hide its soft underside.