Nature Book Series: The Hedgehog Book

A new wild-animals monograph from Graffeg is always a tasty prospect, and this timely little book is no exception. People have a soft spot for our British hedgehog, despite its spiky nature, so an approachable and ‘feely’ book about them is overdue. Hedgehog numbers have, unfortunately, been declining for a few decades, and some of us can remember the time when they were very frequently seen squashed on all kinds of roads. I even recall an ancient, and rather tasteless joke: ‘Why did the hedgehog cross the road?’ … ‘To visit its flatmate.’ Hedgehogs feature surprisingly often in wildlife-related groups on Facebook, with people sharing footage from their wildlife trail cameras that catch them feeding, and sometimes fighting. They are still very much around in gardens and hedgerows. So I think Graffeg's contribution, written by Hugh Warwick, should be very popular. One of the joys of this volume is the quality and abundance of the illustrations, to be found on almost every page. Many delightful photographs complement the text and please the eye, and there are some inspiring paintings and etchings garnered from a rich artistic and literary history. It helps make for a very approachable and aesthetic book, which would make an ideal present. The interactions of humans with animals are emphasised throughout, and several of the photographs reflect this very effectively. The author aptly quotes ‘Mr Hedgehog’ himself, Dr Pat Morris, from his New Naturalist edition on the same subject: ‘It is a popular creature that elicits sympathy and virtually no hostility. It is an ideal flagship species to carry forward important ecological and conservation principles...’ Reflecting on all of this, the author encompasses the natural history, behaviour and conservation of hedgehogs as well as furnishing us with fascinating information about their roles in art, literature, advertising, myth and legend. From the ancient Sumerians to Sonic the hedgehog, his book follows the story of the hedgehog in a clear and logical progression. There is even an engaging and thought-provoking section on philosophy. Welsh readers will be interested to read about Ross-on-Wye, in nearby Herefordshire, where old place names suggest special hedgehog connections, and there are several images in the church. The teacher in me will not allow me to ignore a couple of minor errors: the word ‘draenog’ in Welsh is not derogatory, as the author suggests, but simply means thorny or prickly. I think it is incidental to the primary meaning that such words can also be used in a pejorative sense about people (or animals?). Warm-blooded creatures are ‘ectothermic’, not ‘exothermic’, which means something quite different. But these are very minor quibbles, and the writing is consistently lucid and well edited. The approach is thoughtful, inclusive and humane, particularly in view of the continuing threats to these animals in the UK. There are many helpful tips about how we can help the recovery of this likeable and inoffensive little creature. The final chapter concerns the British Hedgehog Preservation Society which, at the time of writing, had over 11,000 supporters. The publication of this excellent little book will, no doubt, encourage many more to join. -- Richard Hartnup @ www.gwales.com