On our planet, these animals appeared more than 15 million years ago. They are found not only in forests. Certain species of hedgehogs can live even in deserts. The famous cartoon "Hedgehog in the Fog" was seen by many. Apparently, the protagonist is an ordinary hedgehog. It is familiar to the eyes of the inhabitants of Russia. If the authors of the tape drew a hymn, then most would hardly have guessed that it was a hedgehog.
Hedgehogs
A small mammal with an elongated pointed mobile muzzle is a general description of a hedgehog. The species is distinguished by a variety of appearance and habitat. These animals include tenreks and gimnurs that do not have the usual needles. Moles and shrews are the closest "relatives" of hedgehogs. But porcupines, despite the similarity of protection, needles, do not belong to their "relatives".
Common signs characteristic of all representatives of hedgehogs:
- body length - from 10 to 45 cm;
- live weight - from 300 to 1500 grams;
- tail length from 1 to 21 cm;
- large wedge-shaped head;
- zygomatic arches developed, widely set;
- the shape of the skull may be narrow and elongated or short and wide;
- eyes and auricles well developed;
- the number of nipples - from 2 to 5 pieces;
- sweat glands are absent, there are small sebaceous, anal and specific plantar glands;
- the teeth are sharp, small, the first incisors resemble fangs, usually there are 16 teeth on the lower jaw, 20 on the upper; individual species have a total of 44 teeth;
- fore tarsus shorter than hind legs;
- of the five existing fingers on the hind legs (only the white-bellied hedgehog has four), the middle are the longest, adapted for cleaning needles;
- rare thin hairs grow between the needles;
- coat color varies from sandy white to black-brown depending on the species;
- in case of danger they can curl up into a ball;
- most have well-developed subcutaneous muscles;
- possess excellent hearing and sense of smell, weak eyesight;
- most species can swim;
- even when fleeing from danger, the speed of movement does not exceed 4 km / h;
- the average life expectancy in the wild is within 5 years, as a pet can live up to 10;
- main enemies: wolves, badgers, hyenas, martens, foxes, mongooses, honey badgers, eagles, owls, ferrets, jackals and other predators.
Needles
Almost all kinds of hedgehogs are covered with needles. This is their original business card. Needles are modified hair. Especially noticeable is such a rebirth on the sides of the body. Very thin needles and strong bristly hair are clearly visible in this place.
The number of needles in adults can reach 10, 000. Their length does not exceed 3 cm. The needles themselves are very light and durable. They consist of many small air chambers separated by plates. A thin, flexible neck emerges from the skin in the form of a ball on the skin. It gradually expands to the base of the needle and tapers again to its tip. This design guarantees the safety of the body of the animal in the event of a fall from a height or any external pressure on the needles. The movable thin part is bent, eliminating the possibility of penetration of the needle into the body. Their color is rather peculiar: the tip and base are white, the middle is black or brown.
Each needle has its own muscle, capable of bringing it upright. At rest, the muscles are relaxed, and the needle cover looks slightly smoothed. In case of danger, the hedgehog first raises the needles, waiting for the danger to pass. In this state, the needles stick out with sharp tips in different directions, creating a solid spiky armor. If the threat increases, the animal folds into a continuous needle ball.
Classification
Animals belong to the family of hedgehogs from the order of insectivores. There are several types of hedgehogs (photos and descriptions of some are given in the article below). The family itself includes 24 species, 10 genera and 2 subfamilies:
1. Real hedgehogs. Represented by four genera:
1) African include four species:
- Algerian;
- white-bellied;
- Somali;
- South African
2) steppe include two types:
- Daurian;
- Chinese;
3) Eurasian include three types:
- Amur;
- Eastern European
- ordinary (European);
4) eared include six types:
- apodal;
- Indian;
- collared;
- dark needle;
- Ethiopian
- eared.
2. Gymnastics, or rat hedgehogs. These include five genera of the living and six more already extinct. How many species of hedgehogs mankind will not be counted in the future, it is difficult to say, but such a species as anthem is already listed in the International Red Book. Among the living genera of rat urchins are:
- hymns;
- small hymns;
- Hainan hedgehogs;
- shrew hedgehogs;
- Filipino anthems.
Lifestyle
Hedgehog - a species of animal living in all countries of Europe, is also found in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and New Zealand. Scientists tend to believe that not so long ago they lived in North America. Never seen these animals in South America, Antarctica, Australia and Madagascar. On the territory of Russia you can find the hedgehog ordinary, dark-needle, Daurian and eared.
In nature, animals prefer to settle under the roots, in crevices of rocks, in bushes, burrows abandoned by rodents or dug independently. The length of these holes can reach one meter. Hedgehogs lead a nocturnal, solitary lifestyle. They sleep during the day, hunt at night. Far from home do not depart.
All kinds of hedgehogs are predators. Their diet includes:
- caterpillars
- beetles;
- ground beetles;
- earthworms;
- snakes, including poisonous ones;
- frogs
- mice
- wood lice;
- spiders
- plant foods: acorns, cereals, wild berries, mushrooms, moss;
- locust;
- scorpions;
- slugs;
- lizards;
- eggs of birds.
May be seduced by carrion and food waste. Between April and October, the hedgehog must gain enough fat to successfully survive hibernation.
Puberty occurs at the end of the first year of life (in some species, by two years). After waking up, the male goes to look for a mate. The mating season is possible when the air warms up to +18 ° C. Fights due to females are quite fierce, but they do not end with injuries. After pushing with shells and bites on the legs and face, the weakest yields, leaving the battlefield. After mating, the male leaves the "girlfriend".
In the northern regions, cubs are born once a year, southern populations can produce offspring twice a year. The duration of pregnancy is 34-60 days. In one litter there are from 3 to 8 babies. Birth weight is only 10-12 grams, they are naked, blind, bright pink. 6 hours after birth they have the first soft needles. Two weeks later, a “prickly” cover forms completely. The first month the hedgehogs eat only mother's milk, closer to the fall they begin an independent life.
Common hedgehog
This species is one of the most common in the world. The animal is a typical inhabitant of plains, parks and woodlands. Avoid damp and wetlands. Often found near human habitation, a frequent guest in summer cottages. It feeds on everything it can get. The main criteria for the type of hedgehog ordinary:
- body length - 20-30 cm;
- tail length - up to 3 cm;
- live weight - up to 800 grams;
- color - from yellowish to dark brown;;
- needle length - up to 3 cm.
The “personal” territory of males is from 7 to 40 hectares, for females it is more modest - within 10 hectares. The onset of frost causes the animals to close the entrance to the hole tightly and hibernate. At this time, the hedgehog's body temperature drops to 1.8 ° C. Animals sleep from October to April. In spring, as soon as the air temperature warms up to +15 ° C, they begin to emerge from the mink. To survive the winter, the animal needs to walk up to 500 grams of fat.
Puberty occurs at the age of one year. Pregnancy lasts up to 50 days, childbirth takes place from May to October. There can be up to 10 hedgehogs per litter. Near their mother they are up to one and a half months. Life expectancy is up to 5 years.
African dwarf
Of all the species of hedgehogs (photos of mammals are in the text) of the African genus, the pygmy hedgehog is quite curious. It is found in Mauritania, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia Senegal. Description:
- body length - up to 22 cm;
- tail length - up to 2.5 cm;
- live weight - 350-700 grams;
- color - brown or gray;
- do not hibernate.
Eyes are not large, ears are round, females are somewhat larger than males. It makes soft, squealing or snorting sounds, but in case of danger it can scream loudly. Animals of this species are kept as pets.
Eared
Of the six eared species of hedgehogs (photo below) in Russia, only one is dark-needle. Animals are distinguished by long ears growing up to 5 cm. Description:
- body length - 12-27 cm;
- live weight - up to 500 grams;
- needle length within 2 cm.
Usually, “eared ears” choose flight as protection, rather than curling up. This species loves deserts, semi-deserts, dry steppes. Prefers to settle near abandoned aryks or damp ravines. It feeds on insects, small vertebrates, berries, fruits, seeds.
Gimnura
The common anthem represents the subfamily of rat urchins. Description:
- body length - 26-45 cm;
- live weight - 500-2000 grams;
- tail length - 15-30 cm.
The sides and back are black, the neck, head and back of the tail are white. The tail is covered with scales and sparse hair. There are no needles in the anthem. Inhabits the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. It feeds on small animals, fish, frogs, fruits.
