Sexual differences in hibernation of hedgehogs in New Zealand

The winter activity of European hedgehogs was monitored in two locations in New Zealand. Parts of both populations were not hibernating on any given night during the winter. Throughout the winter, and particularly towards the end of winter, male hedgehogs were up to three times more common than females, suggesting their more frequent and earlier arousals from hibernation. Differences between the two populations were throught to be caused by differences in the condition of the animals rather than climatic differences.