# Where Do Hedgehogs Live?

> Where hedgehogs live: Hedgerows, woodland, and gardens, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Near Threatened.

- **Species:** Hedgehog (*Erinaceus europaeus*)
- **Conservation status:** Near Threatened
- **Diet:** Insectivore
- **Habitat:** Hedgerows, woodland, and gardens
- **Lifespan:** 2–5 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 9 km/h (6 mph)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hedgehog/where-do-hedgehog-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hedgehog/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The European hedgehog is a small, spiny, nocturnal mammal famous for rolling into a tight ball of quills when threatened. A single hedgehog may carry around 5,000 spines, forages for insects and worms at night, and hibernates through winter. Wild hedgehogs typically live 2 to 5 years and are now listed as Near Threatened.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Spines and defense

A hedgehog's back is covered in around 5,000 stiff, hollow spines made of keratin, the same material as hair. When threatened it rolls into a tight ball, tucking its soft face, belly, and legs inside a protective sphere of quills that deters most predators.

## Help protect the Hedgehog

The hedgehog is listed as Near Threatened, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hedgehog/where-do-hedgehog-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.