The Hedgehog    [16-08-2008] Hedgehogs are small spiny mammals. They are small enough to fit in your hands. But sadly, they are too prickly to hold! There are 16 kinds of hedgehogs in the world. They are found in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand. But there are no hedgehogs native to Australia and North America. Hedgehogs have thousands of stiff, sharp spines or quills. They are not poisonous, but the quills provide them with effective protection. If they are frightened, they curl up their bodies into a tight ball with the quills sticking out in all directions. They also sleep in this position! Hedgehogs are active at night. They wake up at dusk and search for food. Their favorite foods are insects, earthworms, snails and slugs. So some people even keep hedgehogs as pets in their gardens! Hedgehogs are also known to eat bird eggs and small animals such as birds, frogs, and reptiles. They can also eat fruits, fungi and roots. Sometimes they even eat poisonous snakes! On average, females give birth to 3-4 babies. Depending on the species, the gestation period is 35-58 days. Hedgehogs are born blind. Many people believe that hedgehogs are born without spines and the spines develop in the days following. But that’s not true. Their spines are easily visible within hours of their birth. Hedgehogs have a long lifespan for their size. Larger species of hedgehogs live 4-7 years in the wild, and smaller species live about 2-4 years.     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)