Where did hedgehogs originate?

Hedgehogs originated in Europe, Asia and Africa and have also been introduced to New Zealand. In the wild, hedgehogs are commonly found foraging through undergrowth for insects, worms, centipedes, snails, frogs, mice, snakes and other small creatures that make up their diet.

Inactive for much of the day, the hedgehog gets its name from the pig-like "grunting" it emits while foraging along hedges and gardens at night. As they have poor vision, hedgehogs rely on their outstanding hearing and sense of smell to locate prey. When threatened, the small rodent curls into a ball with its stiff, sharp coat of spines warding off most predators.