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- European Hedgehog or Hedgehog
- oriental dark hedgehog
- Balkan Hedgehog
- Amur urchin
- white belly urchin
- Atelerix algirus
- Somali Hedgehog
- South African Hedgehog
- Egyptian Hedgehog or Eared Hedgehog
- Indian eared hedgehog
- gobi hedgehog
- Central China Hedgehog
- desert urchin
- indian hedgehog
- Brandt's Hedgehog
- Paraechinus nudiventris
Do you like terrestrial urchins? At PeritoAnimal we are great admirers of this small mammal with short spines and proboscis. It is an independent and beautiful animal that undoubtedly has a unique and attractive appearance.
Then we show the different types of terrestrial urchins so you can get to know their physical appearance, where they are and some curiosities related to hedgehogs.
Keep reading this article about the types of land urchins and let yourself be surprised by the erinaceus and everything related to these small mammals.
European Hedgehog or Hedgehog
O european hedgehog or erinaceus europaeus lives in several European countries such as Italy, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Portugal, among others. It is also known simply as the terrestrial hedgehog.
It usually measures between 20 to 30 centimeters and all of it has a characteristic dark brown appearance. It lives in wooded regions and can live for up to 10 years.
oriental dark hedgehog
O oriental dark hedgehog or erinaceus concolor it looks very similar to the European hedgehog although it differs by a white spot on its chest. It can be found in Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
Unlike the European hedgehog, the oriental dark one does not dig, prefers to make nests of herbs.
Balkan Hedgehog
We found the balkan hedgehog or the ericaneus romumanicus throughout Eastern Europe although its presence has extended as far as Russia, Ukraine or the Caucasus.
It differs from the two previous species in its jaw, which is somewhat different, although outwardly it reminds us of the common European hedgehog, which has a white chest.
Amur urchin
O amur urchin or erinaceus amarensis lives in Russia, Korea and China among other countries. It measures about 30 centimeters and its physical appearance is of light colors although a little brownish.
white belly urchin
O white belly urchin or atelerix albiventris it comes from sub-Saharan Africa and inhabits savannah regions and populations' crop fields.
We can observe a completely white body where its dark head stands out. Its legs are very short and it is surprising that it only has four toes on its hind legs.
Atelerix algirus
This hedgehog (atelerix algirus) é smaller than the previous ones, reaching about 20 centimeters in length.
It lives throughout North Africa including Morocco and Algeria although it currently remains in this wild along the Mediterranean coast which includes the Valencia or Catalonia region. It has light colors and shows a bifurcation in the crest thorns.
Somali Hedgehog
O Somali hedgehog or atelerix slateri is effectively endemic to Somalia and has a white belly while its paras are usually brown or black.
South African Hedgehog
O south african hedgehog or atelerix frontalis is a brown-colored hedgehog that inhabits countries like Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, among others.
Although its black legs and brown tone can be highlighted, the South African hedgehog has a white fringe on its very characteristic forehead.
Egyptian Hedgehog or Eared Hedgehog
Next on this list of hedgehogs is the egypt hedgehog or eared hedgehog, also known as Hemiechinus auritus. Although it actually resides in Egypt it can be found in many regions of Asia where it has been spreading.
It stands out for its long ears and short spines, a fact that makes it prefer to flee rather than curl up as a method of defense. It's really fast!
Indian eared hedgehog
Although its name is very similar to the previous hedgehog, we can highlight that the indian eared hedgehog or collaris hemiechinus it looks very different.
It is relatively small and has dark colors. As a curiosity, we highlight that this hedgehog performs an entire dance ritual to win over females for days.
gobi hedgehog
O gobi hedgehog or Mesechinus dauuricus is a small solitary hedgehog that lives in Russia and northern Mongolia. It measures between 15 to 20 centimeters and is protected in these countries.
Central China Hedgehog
Next on the list is the central China hedgehog or mesechinus hughi and is endemic to China.
desert urchin
O desert hedgehog or Ethiopian hedgehog or paraechinus aethiopicus it is a very difficult hedgehog to hurt, because when it curls into a ball it points its spines in all directions. Their colors can range from dark to light brown.
indian hedgehog
O indian hedgehog or paraechinus micropus it is from India and Pakistan and has a mask-like spot very similar to a raccoon. It lives in high mountain regions where it has plenty of water.
It measures about 15 centimeters and is quite fast although not as fast as the eared hedgehog. We also note that this hedgehog has a very varied diet which includes toads and frogs.
Brandt's Hedgehog
O brandt's hedgehog or Paraechinus hypomelas it measures about 25 centimeters and has big ears and a dark body. We can find it in parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. In cases of threat he tends to curl up with a ball although he also uses a "jump" attack to surprise his attackers.
Paraechinus nudiventris
Finally we bring you the paraechinus nudiventris ya that was believed to be extinct until recently when it was said that there are still specimens in India.
Find out more about hedgehogs and don't miss the following articles:
- Basic Hedgehog Care
- the hedgehog as a pet