Atlas der Säugetiere Nordrhein-Westfalens

Igel

1935 entries

European hedgehog

Rote Liste NRW: u Ungefährdet

  entry

Erinaceus europaeus

Hedgehogs are characterized by their spiny coat and, of course, everyone knows this mammal species. However, the observation of an adult and healthy hedgehog is more of an exception because of the species′ crepuscular and nocturnal activities. Unfortunately, one is more likely to encounter a road-killed hedgehog, and in autumn, out of love for animals subadult hedgehogs are frequently picked up and attempts are made to overwinter them in the house. Since hedgehogs are protected, one should not pick them up without a real reason, since the majority of the still small hedgehogs from a late second litter, in the face of the usually mild winters in NRW, have a good chance to survive the cold season of the year without human help. For hedgehogs it is much more important that in the garden where they dwell enough hiding places are offered or preserved where the animals are sheltered and can sleep through the winter.

Hedgehogs occur area-wide in NRW. Only inner-city areas without "green" and cleared agricultural landscapes are not habitats for the species. Although the hedgehog population can suffer under strong winters, the species pays a large, bloody tribute on the state′s roads, and meanwhile, the more commonly occurring Eurasian Eagle Owl takes many hedgehogs, yet the hedgehog population in NRW apparently remains stable.

Author

Henning Vierhaus

Citation

Vierhaus H (2025): Igel (Erinaceus_europaeus).In: AG Säugetierkunde NRW — Online-Atlas of the mammals of North Rhine-Westphalia. Downloaded from saeugeratlas-nrw.lwl.org on 2025/04/30