Toadhog

Discovery LocationEuropean Hedgerows

Lead ResearcherS. Hedgehog

Field Report Summary

A familiar sight in damp gardens at twilight, the Toadhog waddles in search of slugs. If touched, it puffs up and erects its spines. It hibernates in compost heaps during the winter. Its skin secretes a mild irritant that tastes terrible to foxes.

Physical Description

Warty toad body covered in keratinous hedgehog spines.

Habitat

Gardens and Woodlands

Dietary Behavior

Insectivore

Evolutionary Origin

Defensive predation adaptation

Behavioral Notes

Cannot curl into a ball but digs rapidly to escape.