Natural Hazards
With their dense covering of spines to protect them, hedgehogs are invulnerable to wide variety of potential hazards.
In Scotland, the badger is the hedgehog’s greatest natural predator. The badger’s efficiency in sniffing out hibernating hedgehogs and then their ability to uncurl them using their claws to get at the vulnerable underside, all that will remain after the badger has had its meal is skin and spikes.
Foxes are swift enough to kill hedgehogs before they have time to roll up. Foxes tend to take sick or small hedgehogs, as well as eating dead ones they come across. Polecats, mink, grey mongooses and birds of prey will all have a go at attacking hedgehogs and are often successful in causing hedgehogs injuries which can result in death. Hoglets in the nest may be lost to smaller carnivores.
The highest mortality rate is during winter hibernation. Badgers will account for some of these losses; the rest are likely to die because they have not built up sufficient fat reserves to survive the winter. In order to reach spring a hedgehog must not only weigh at least 600g prior to hibernation but also have constructed itself a robust nest in a safe location.
Most hedgehogs’ deaths will occur before the animal has reached the end of its first year.
Hedgehogs have no fear of falling, this lack of fear combined with their inquisitive nature, does lead many to their deaths. If there is anything natural or otherwise for a hedgehog to fall into then you can be sure it will fall into it sooner or later.
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