BABY HEDGEHOGS
16 December 2006

Take a look at this cutie baby hedgehog to the left!
These little creatures, and their mothers, are causing some attention in the news at the moment. Hedgehogs are the only European mammals that hibernate. Depending on the weather and temperature they "sleep" between November and early April. Or actually, this state is closer to being dead than asleep - they breath once every five minutes!
Hedgehoge mummies abandon their babies for their necessary sleep. Animal and wildlife centres across the UK are receiving 100s of little abandoned babies (who have been lucky enough to be rescued) who need somewhere warm to stay over the winter. They are too small to survive their first winter alone in the nature. If they survive, next year they may weigh 1.5 kgs and can face the long winter more independently.