• It can curl into a ball and present its spines.
• The long-eared hedgehog has very large ears that help it cool down.

The African hedgehog possesses a characteristic appearance: males and females have long ears, as well as short paws with claws for digging burrows. The species has an acute sense of smell on its face, helping it to find insects underground. The body of an adult African hedgehog is protected by hard spines, while the young are born with soft white spines that quickly harden.