Hedgehog Day

National Hedgehog Day is celebrated on February 2 of every year. Around the year 1450, the word hedgehog came into use. It is derived from the word of Middle English “hedgehog“. There are about 17 species of hedgehog in 5 genera, and they are found in the parts of Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and Africa. National Hedgehog Day is dedicated to these lovely creatures. Hedgehogs depend mostly on their sense of smell, as they can easily smell food even under an inch of soil and these Hedgehogs can also sense danger.

“I’m an inveterate fox and not a hedgehog, so I always think you should try everything.” – Clifford Geertz.

History of National Hedgehog Day

National Hedgehog Day is celebrated on February 2 for two reasons; the first reason is that February 2 is a Roman tradition similar to the modern Groundhog Day celebrated on the same date and the second reason is that February 2 is the release date for Sonic, the Hedgehog 3 in 1994 in the United States. Even before the origin of Groundhog Day, the Romans celebrated a similar day on the same date thousands of years ago, but instead of a groundhog, they used the hedgehog for the weather forecast. National Hedgehog Day is same as the Groundhog Day if the hedgehog comes out of his den and sees his shadow it means the winter will continue for six more weeks. In North America, there are no native species of hedgehog, so they replaced the hedgehog with the native groundhog.

How to Celebrate National Hedgehog Day

If you are interested in celebrating National Hedgehog Day, then go for a Hedgehog watching and offer some food to these Hedgehogs. Also, take some time to check if the Hedgehog or groundhog has seen its shadow on 2nd February and whether the winter continues for another six weeks. Then post pictures and share your thoughts about the National Hedgehog Day with others on social media by using the hashtag #HedgehogDay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkZ2pbqmHdU