RSPB Spotlight hedgehogs

Much loved ... but about to be lost? The Hedgehog regularly tops polls of the UK’s favourite animal, yet numbers in our countryside have halved this century. Generations of children have been captivated by Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, yet our complex and contradictory relationship with the Hedgehog is also characterised by persecution and death. This unmistakable, spiny mammal is a ‘gardener’s best friend’, yet one that we rarely see alive and in our midst.

In Spotlight Hedgehogs, James Lowen reveals what a Hedgehog is and how it lives, unveiling the secrets of its lifestyle – from foraging and hibernating to rolling into a ball and building a nest. He also investigates the relationship between Hedgehogs and people – from lm and fun to conservation and crisps – and offers practical advice on how to nd, watch and help these charming animals in the wild.

The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

About the author

James Lowen is a nature and travel writer, editor and photographer. Since returning to the UK after several years of leading wildlife tours in South America and Antarctica, he has renewed his relationship with British wildlife. His nine books include A Summer of British Wildlife (Travel Guide Book of the Year, 2016), 52 Wildlife Weekends and Spotlight Badgers. He regularly writes for magazines such as BBC Wildlife, The Countryman and Bird Watching.