Spiny Norman

Norman would like to visit those parts of the world where there are no hedgehogs, for example, North and South America and Australia. However, he is quite content to snuffle around in caches en route to his destination

Hedgehogs have been around for a very long time, cropping up even before the sabre toothed tiger, over 15 million years ago. Somehow they’ve managed to survive in Britain until today, unlike some of their fellow creatures such as wild boar, wolf and elk.

Norman is a European hedgehog but there are 10 other spiny hedgehogs in the world, including Algerian, four-toed and long-eared hedgehogs.

Unfortunately for North and South America and in Australia they don’t have any hedgehogs at all.

Hedgehogs have always provided a tasty (if fiddly) meal.
Stone Age man certainly liked them – preferably with a side order of fleas! –
Even recently hedgehogs baked in clay (this removes the spines) have provided a nourishing meal.

Once ill-thought of, people are now enchanted by hedgehogs.

Alice in wonderland used one as a croquet ball!

Mrs Tiggywinkle is known to millions of children. These stories have helped us realise that we have nothing to fear from these prickly creatures and that in fact they do us a great favour by devouring all those garden pests.

Hedgehogs wander at night looking for food and a mate, and can travel more than 2 miles in one night. (Sounds like our teenager!!!).

The map (image) lower down on this page, shows where hedgehogs live. Norman would like to head for the white bits of the map.

. Norman is very friendly and photogenic, and would love to be photographed on his travels. Please post photos, or his parents, the SpottySpaniels, will worry about him. When he has done enough travelling he would like to return to a cache in Botley Hampshire UK.