{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "hedgehog",
  "name": "Hedgehog",
  "scientificName": "Erinaceus europaeus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Near Threatened",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Eulipotyphla",
    "family": "Erinaceidae",
    "genus": "Erinaceus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1,
    "lengthM": 0.25,
    "topSpeedKmh": 9,
    "lifespanYears": 5
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Erinaceus europaeus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Insectivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Hedgerows, woodland, and gardens"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "2–5 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "0.6–1.2 kg (1.3–2.6 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 9 km/h (6 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Near Threatened (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Hedgerows, woodlands, and gardens across Europe.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Erinaceus europaeus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Erinaceus%20europaeus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Erinaceus europaeus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Erinaceus_europaeus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Hedgehog.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hedgehog"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hedgehog/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/hedgehog/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}