Rotating playground for hedgehogs - "Eagle Merry-Go-Round": Explanation of the eels' unique mating behavior
The "hedgehog carousel" is a fascinating behaviour exhibited by these small, spiky creatures during their mating season. This ritual involves a female hedgehog making a distinct sound, to which the male responds by following in a circling or carousel-like pattern [1].
To help protect hedgehogs during this period, gardeners can take several steps:
- Allow Nature to Take Its Course: If you encounter a pair of hedgehogs mating in your garden, it's crucial to wait and observe before intervening. Interrupting this natural ritual can cause stress or abandonment.
- Minimise Garden Hazards: Be mindful of potential dangers such as netting, holes, or pond edges. Make these areas safer or block off dangerous spots to prevent accidents.
- Provide Safe Habitats: Offer natural, safe habitats like piles of leaves or logs where hedgehogs can shelter and mate undisturbed.
- Avoid Harmful Substances: Steer clear of using pesticides or slug pellets that can harm hedgehogs.
- Ensure Access to Food and Water: During the busy mating season, ensure there's easy access to food and water to support their health.
These measures not only help hedgehogs during the "hedgehog carousel" but also throughout their active seasons [1].
It's important to note that disturbed hedgehog mothers might leave their nest, potentially resulting in the offspring starving. Hedgehogs seem to lose track of time during the mating season, so small hedgehogs sitting alone in the grass are often not orphans but are picked up by their mother, even during the day.
Lawnmowers pose a significant danger to hedgehogs in gardens. The German Wildlife Foundation provides information for hedgehog-friendly gardens to help reduce this risk. For more information, watch the video "The association Wildtiere OWL draws attention to a unfortunately not uncommon, but fatal problem with a current case: Garden animals are often severely injured or killed by lawnmowers."
After mating, the male hedgehog leaves, and the female gives birth to the young alone. Hedgehogs become sexually mature after their first winter, and it takes five to six weeks for the young ones to grow large enough to go their own way alone. Male hedgehogs have to work hard to convince the female to mate, making this period a crucial time for hedgehog conservation.
[1] Source: German Wildlife Foundation's guide for hedgehog-friendly gardens.
