Animal of the Week -- November 5, 2007

Oooo.... ahhhh!

Gosh! Wow!

Yay!

Ahhhhhhh!

As the cordite-scented mists clear from Britain's green pastures and gardens tomorrow morning, anyone with an ounce of sense will be out sifting through the remains of the bonfires. Being careful not to burn yourself on still glowing embers, if you are lucky you may just find the odd baked remnant of this week's animal Erinaceus europaeus (western european hedgehog), which is delicious served with bubble and squeak and a little piccalilli. Yumski!

Large piles of kindling and tinder are oh so tempting to hedgehogs looking for somewhere to hibernate. So they are perfect traps with which to bag a few of these spiny delicacies. Alternatively, if you want not to contribute to the annual slaughter don't build your bonfire until late today or check any that you have built already carefully, rebuilding on a new site to ensure that there are no hedgehogs therein. Move any hedgehogs you find to a secluded place of safety and refuge away from any bonfires... the central reservations of motorways for example.

Q: Why did the hedgehog cross the road?

Answers on a postcard to animaloftheweek@yahoo.co.uk

Bye my lovelies!