RSPB Spotlight: Hedgehogs

Much loved . . . but about to be lost? The hedgehog was voted Britain's favorite animal in 2013, yet numbers in the British countryside have halved this century. Generations of children have been captivated by Beatrix Potter's __The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle__ and Romans feted hedgehogs as weather prophets, yet many cultures routinely consume hedgehog meat for medicinal uses as varied as alleviating arthritis and arresting impotence. Unmistakably--and uniquely, in European terms--garbed in spines, this mammal is a "gardener's best friend". . . yet one upon which we are rarely lucky enough to clasp eyes. Hedgehogs have been legally persecuted for munching the eggs of rare birds, yet the recent appointment of Britain's first ever "hedgehog officer" was lauded by the national press. Familiar in appearance yet little known of lifestyle, the hedgehog is an ideal and iconic subject for Bloomsbury's __RSPB Spotlight__ series. __Hedgehogs__ will be a lively, readable, and decadently illustrated account of one of Britain's most loved but most vulnerable animals. Separate chapters bring into sharp focus the hedgehog's biology and lifestyle, from foraging and sociability to defending a territory and building a nest. The book reveals what a hedgehog is and how it lives, and how it fits into both the natural (and human) environment and the wider animal kingdom. Chapters explain how best to find, watch, and help wild hedgehogs, and how its frankly bizarre body is utterly fit for purpose. Finally, the book investigates the relationship between hedgehogs and people--from film and fun to conservation and chips. RSPB Spotlight: Hedgehogs is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct and detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. 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 , though 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', but 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, such as foraging and hibernating, rolling into a ball and building a nest. He also investigates the relationship between Hedgehogs and people – from film and fun to conservation and crisps – and offers practical advice on how to find, watch and help these charming animals in the wild. "In Spotlight: Hedgehogs, James Lowen reveals what a Hedgehog is and how it lives, unveiling the secrets of its lifestyle, such as foraging and hibernating, rolling into a ball and building a nest. He also investigates the relationship between Hedgehogs and people - from film and fun to conservation and crisps - and offers practical advice on how to find, watch and help these charming animals in the wild."--Publisher description