The small, spiny mammal that famously hibernates through winter in Europe and Asia is the hedgehog. Several hedgehog species enter prolonged winter torpor, especially in temperate climates where insects and other food become scarce.
The European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus, builds a winter nest—often beneath leaves, roots, branches, or garden structures—and spends extended periods there during the cold season. Its body temperature, heart rate, and metabolism fall sharply, allowing it to conserve energy from fat reserves accumulated before winter.
Hibernation is not an uninterrupted sleep. Hedgehogs periodically arouse, and some may wake to move or adjust their nests. They are nocturnal insectivores whose diet includes earthworms, slugs, beetles, and other invertebrates. A common mix-up is assuming that all spiny mammals hibernate: porcupines generally remain active, while echidnas and tenrecs have different geographic ranges and dormancy patterns.