Meanwhile in Great Britain, it's Always Time for Hedgehogs

June 24, 2024 5:49 AM

Today's contender for Most British Headline of the Year. It's not the first Guardian article featuring hedgehogs this year so far. Or the first 2024 UK hedgehog story to make it to the Blue. It's not even the best hedgehog news to come out recently.

They take their hedgehogs very seriously in this country. They have their own preservation society and you can buy specialist food for them in pet shops and grocery stores. You can install a hedgehog hotel on whatever land you have access to, or participate in various hedgehog-tracking efforts.

Of course, our spiky friends are not limited to these green and pleasant shores. The Germans have elected the hedgehog animal of the year, while in China there's a whole new species of 'hog to get excited about. Even the Ancient Greeks knew a thing or two about the wisdom of the hedge: "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."

posted by cabbage raccoon (13 comments total)

Mentioned in the initial story: Hodmedods Hedgehog Support
Hodmedods!
But not sure how they came up with that word from "Helping Norfolk Hedgehogs".
posted by Glinn at 6:12 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]

But not sure how they came up with that word from "Helping Norfolk Hedgehogs"

It's an old East Anglian dialect term that means round. Confusingly in Suffolk it was normally used about snails, whereas in Norfolk it's an alternative to hedgehog (dodman is the word for snail).
posted by greycap at 6:17 AM on June 24 [3 favorites]

It's a tricky word. Just ask Parisians.
posted by protorp at 6:17 AM on June 24 [4 favorites]

In Great Britain, maybe, but the ground-nesting birds of South Uist and Benbecula in the Hebrides do not find hedgehogs an unmitigated blessing. A place for everything and everything in its place.
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:30 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]

I'm on the island of Cyprus at the moment and if you're driving around after dark here, you're practically guaranteed to spot long-eared hedgehogs dashing across the road. I keep trying to get close enough to take some photos but they're elusive little cuties.
posted by JaredSeth at 8:21 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]

The hedgehog is basically Great Britain's spirit animal, isn't it.
posted by egypturnash at 9:43 AM on June 24 [3 favorites]

The very first TV show my kid ever watched was the very first episode of the BBC's Come Outside. You can guess the topic.
posted by McBearclaw at 9:56 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]

The hedgehog is basically Great Britain's spirit animal, isn't it. innit

FTFY
posted by briank at 10:08 AM on June 24 [5 favorites]

Hedgehogs really aren't pettable, they shouldn't be booped on fragile noses, but couldn't I gently tickle their ickle pink bellies?
posted by BlueHorse at 10:09 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]

Let's not forget Hedgehog Flavour Crisps

They were withdrawn from sale in 1982 when the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) alleged a breach of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 as the product was flavoured with pork fat and herbs and contained no actual hedgehog

posted by malevolent at 10:12 AM on June 24 [2 favorites]

I used to have a pet hedgehog and I can confirm you can tickle bellies with enough time.
posted by skookumsaurus rex at 11:21 AM on June 24 [3 favorites]

In local news (well, if you live near me): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63096303
posted by pipeski at 12:55 PM on June 24 [4 favorites]

I'm hedgehog-sitting for my daughter while she's out of town and they're very pettable. Belly rubs and having their cheeks stroked are both very nice. Otherwise you're holding a very ornery box of toothpicks.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:12 PM on June 24 [4 favorites]