There have been two species of soft-furred hedgehogs known to scientists until recently. However, after research by a team from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, that number has gone up to seven.

According to a study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, a team led by scientists Arlo Hinckley and Melissa Hawkins identified two species of soft-furred hedgehogs that were “entirely new to science” while three subspecies have been recognized as their own species “using DNA analysis and physical characteristics.”

The fuzzy hedgehogs are small mammals with a pointy snout that have been described as “a mixture of a mouse and a shrew with a short tail.” They are native to the region of South East Asia, with each of the newly discovered species living in a slightly different habitat. Some prefer the higher altitude, while others found their home in lowland forests.

“We think we know about the natural world, but even groups like mammals – especially the little things that live in difficult-to-reach habitats – we really don’t know much at all,” Dr. Hawkins told the BBC.

The post 5 New Species of Soft-Furred Hedgehog Have Been Discovered appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

The staff at the Lower Moss Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital in Cheshire, England are used to seeing wild things every day, but things took a pretty crazy turn when one woman came in after picking up the “hedgehog” from the side of the road.

She was visibly distraught, but the staff at Lower Moss quickly put her worries at bay, according to the veterinarian Janet Kotze.

“From a distance, you take it at face value. She didn’t handle it at all — she scooped it in a box with some cat food and left it alone in a warm, dark place. She did everything so well. She barely peeked at it because she didn’t want to stress it out,” Kotze told The Independent.

This honest mistake shouldn’t stop people from taking care of rescue animals. In a viral Facebook post addressing this incident, Lower Moss representatives said that “kindness knows no bounds, even when it’s to a faux furry friend,” and encouraged people to seek help from the local vets if they ever spot a hedgehog out during the day.

The post The Story of Rescued “Baby Hedgehog” in Cheshire, England Takes a Wild Turn appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

Hedgehogs Are Lactose Intolerant

You might have been tempted at one point to feed your garden hedgehog with some milk. However, that is a big mistake. They are lactose intolerant, and milk does quite a work on their digestive system. If you want to give them a treat, leave a bowl of water for them.

Hedgehogs Can Have Up to 7,000 Spikes

One key feature of hedgehogs is the spikes that cover almost their entire body. A hedgehog can have up to 7,000 individual spikes. They shed them on an annual basis, and each spike gets replaced with a new one.

Hedgehogs Love to Sleep

Hedgehogs are snooze-loving creatures. They are known to sleep through the day, being mostly active during the night. Also, they spend the entire winter hibernating and return to the outside world in March.

Hedgehogs are Solitary Animals

Hedgehogs spend most of their life alone. The hedgehog babies spend several weeks with their mothers before being left on their own. The only time they look for the company of other hedgehogs is during mating season.

Hedgehogs Have Immunity from Snake Bites

During their evolution, hedgehogs have developed an immunity to snake bites. They will survive encounters with most venomous snakes thanks to the protein in their blood that neutralizes snake venom. 

The post Fun Facts About Hedgehogs You Probably Didn’t Know appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

The hedgehogs travel a lot, dress up for special occasions, and take amazing photos for Instagram. Such a dream life for every hedgehog, isn’t it? 70,000 people follow their adventures, and you can get your daily updates if you want by following them on this social network. The preview is below, enjoy!

The post The Adventures of Oatmeal and Calcio the Hedgehogs appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

There have been two species of soft-furred hedgehogs known to scientists until recently. However, after research by a team from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, that number has gone up to seven.

According to a study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, a team led by scientists Arlo Hinckley and Melissa Hawkins identified two species of soft-furred hedgehogs that were “entirely new to science” while three subspecies have been recognized as their own species “using DNA analysis and physical characteristics.”

The fuzzy hedgehogs are small mammals with a pointy snout that have been described as “a mixture of a mouse and a shrew with a short tail.” They are native to the region of South East Asia, with each of the newly discovered species living in a slightly different habitat. Some prefer the higher altitude, while others found their home in lowland forests.

“We think we know about the natural world, but even groups like mammals – especially the little things that live in difficult-to-reach habitats – we really don’t know much at all,” Dr. Hawkins told the BBC.

The post 5 New Species of Soft-Furred Hedgehog Have Been Discovered appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

The staff at the Lower Moss Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital in Cheshire, England are used to seeing wild things every day, but things took a pretty crazy turn when one woman came in after picking up the “hedgehog” from the side of the road.

She was visibly distraught, but the staff at Lower Moss quickly put her worries at bay, according to the veterinarian Janet Kotze.

“From a distance, you take it at face value. She didn’t handle it at all — she scooped it in a box with some cat food and left it alone in a warm, dark place. She did everything so well. She barely peeked at it because she didn’t want to stress it out,” Kotze told The Independent.

This honest mistake shouldn’t stop people from taking care of rescue animals. In a viral Facebook post addressing this incident, Lower Moss representatives said that “kindness knows no bounds, even when it’s to a faux furry friend,” and encouraged people to seek help from the local vets if they ever spot a hedgehog out during the day.

The post The Story of Rescued “Baby Hedgehog” in Cheshire, England Takes a Wild Turn appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

Hedgehogs Are Lactose Intolerant

You might have been tempted at one point to feed your garden hedgehog with some milk. However, that is a big mistake. They are lactose intolerant, and milk does quite a work on their digestive system. If you want to give them a treat, leave a bowl of water for them.

Hedgehogs Can Have Up to 7,000 Spikes

One key feature of hedgehogs is the spikes that cover almost their entire body. A hedgehog can have up to 7,000 individual spikes. They shed them on an annual basis, and each spike gets replaced with a new one.

Hedgehogs Love to Sleep

Hedgehogs are snooze-loving creatures. They are known to sleep through the day, being mostly active during the night. Also, they spend the entire winter hibernating and return to the outside world in March.

Hedgehogs are Solitary Animals

Hedgehogs spend most of their life alone. The hedgehog babies spend several weeks with their mothers before being left on their own. The only time they look for the company of other hedgehogs is during mating season.

Hedgehogs Have Immunity from Snake Bites

During their evolution, hedgehogs have developed an immunity to snake bites. They will survive encounters with most venomous snakes thanks to the protein in their blood that neutralizes snake venom. 

The post Fun Facts About Hedgehogs You Probably Didn’t Know appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.

The hedgehogs travel a lot, dress up for special occasions, and take amazing photos for Instagram. Such a dream life for every hedgehog, isn’t it? 70,000 people follow their adventures, and you can get your daily updates if you want by following them on this social network. The preview is below, enjoy!

The post The Adventures of Oatmeal and Calcio the Hedgehogs appeared first on Our Funny Little Site.