This mystery cache will take you for a sloth hedgehog Vendou,
with informative listings, a nice fairy tale :-).
Hedgehog
( Erinaceus )
is a genus that includes four kinds of animals of the order insectivores (Eulipotyphla), who are one of the oldest development groups of mammals . Their first representatives appeared on earth in the early Mesozoic era about 220 million years ago. Also own family tree urchins is impressive and goes back at least to the period prior to 45 million years old, maybe even farther into the past.
Spine
The body of an adult hedgehog covers the back and sides 6000-8000 quills . Coalescing and converting hairs are 2-3 cm long, in the middle of 1-2 mm wide and full length lightweight air chambers. Spiny fan out in a fixed sharp tip, the roots are rooted to the skin using a hypodermic muscles can tilt in any direction. In muscle holding so tightly that even from a dead hedgehog can be difficult to pull out. Like fur and spines of urchins are exchanged, but individually and in a longer interval (18 months). The remaining parts of the body - legs , stomach , throat, neck and part of the head cover solid and sparse hair . Coarse hair in hot weather dries quickly, so the hedgehogs can without major consequences wading in the mud or in the damp grass .
Hedgehog can protect your bodlinatou brilliantly exploited. Recorded if anything suspicious in the first phase of spines and bristles expected what was going to happen. If the danger escalates, in a flash turns into a spiny ball , to which it is not easy to get. Keep the bottom of a hole to not suffocate. Thus it can remain for long minutes until the state of emergency lasts.
In the family ježkovitých not find exclusively insectivore with ostnitým garment - belongs to her and five Asian species srstínů who have normal though coarse hair .. They look like a rat or mouse , while reminiscent of the behavior of shrews . On the other hand, not all animals with spiny urchins are among the robe. porcupine with the hedgehog no mistaking, but Tenrec ježkovitý or Tenrec Telfairův would prove a lot of people fooled. These insectivores belonging to another ancient family bodlínovitých (Tenrecidae) and only inhabit Madagascar . The state of emergency also bottling into a ball, but they lack strong subcutaneous muscle . Neither the Australian Echidna and Turtle Long-beaked echidnas have nothing to do with hedgehogs. As primitive Monotreme mammals live on the opposite end of the globe than hedgehogs.
Our hedgehogs
All hedgehogs are residents of the Old World (Eurasia and Africa), not found elsewhere, if not planted by man, such as in New Zealand. Zoologists are distinguished at least 15 species, of which the Czech Republic there are two types. Although at first glance they look the same or very similar, when looking closely, even a layman knows that these two species. This is a hedgehog western and eastern hedgehog
Hedgehog is able to assimilate the cultural landscape is a place in the woods or on the bushy slopes is now rather we find nearby hamlets, villages and parks and gardens, on the edge and inside big cities . Even in the busy center of Prague and Brno in the warm summer evenings out on a tortuous journey through the busiest road.
Senses
Sense of Smell
On his wanderings the hedgehog does not behave prudently - rustling, snorting and sniffing loudly all around, still rozhrabuje leaves or leaf litter and raised snout sniffing the air and everything around them checked. The tip of his noses constantly moistens special fluid secreted by the nasal mucosa . In addition, a functional accessory olfactory organ on the top floor of the oral cavity (the Jacobson organ ), which in most other mammals to varying degrees stunted. It looks like a small hole is actually a legacy of the reptiles , which is strongly developed. The importance of smell in the life of hedgehogs is confirmed by the large olfactory lobes of the brain . earthworms or other tempting savory smells to three centimeters in the country.
Vision
Eyes urchins are a lot of sides of the head and provide a wide field of view . Although they are big enough, visual skills are poor urchins. I see the same bad day or night, at most, outlines and moving objects are very short-sighted and in good lighting conditions might recognize several colors. At the end of the muzzle hedgehog is about ten other tactile hairs (called vibrisy ).
Hearing
In addition to the sense of smell helps hedgehog in the orientation of most hearing focused primarily on the sounds of frequency of about 20 Hz . Running ground beetle or other bug reportedly recorded up to five meters, the dog about twice that distance. Even during hibernation a hedgehog retains the ability to perceive higher sound stimuli from the environment. At least some species of hedgehogs recorded (and issued) also ulrazvuky ( frequency to 40-64 Hz and higher). It is not yet clear whether it is used to communicate with one another, especially between mother and cubs (which is usually the case with many other small mammals , or also for echolocation (like bats and dolphins ).
Daily Routine
Hedgehog sleeps about four-fifths of the day. Shelters leaves after sunset sun and is most active between 9 pm and midnight, and then again around the 3rd o'clock in the morning. In that time, but manages so many things that he has many of us have envied. In summer devoted much time subsistence Hedgehog (45%) and activities related to reproduction (eg partner search) or upbringing of the youth (30%), about 15% of the time it occupy various shifts between shelters and the main fishery food and only about 10% is to rest.
Long prevailed opinion that hedgehogs much nenachodí and that they were residing in a small radius around the shelter. With the help of small radio transmitters, placed under the skin , however, proved life story in a different light. Nightly averaged insults 700-1500 m, with the largest recorded distance the Hedgehog climbed for a single night was incredible 3 km and 140 m.
Territory
The territory long occupied an area of hedgehogs from 5-100 hectares (females tends to roughly one-third the size than males ). Its size affects offer food and shelter, animal age and season. At the spring , during the rut , and the autumn , when the hedgehog is fed to the winter , are much more mobile than the rest of the year. Young hedgehogs after independence issued on long exploratory trips before they find the territory in which they are established. Also, males , more "naběhají" than the female .
Hedgehogs are solitary (except for females with cubs). The territory inhabited by different animals, although overlap, but the "neighborly quarrels" rarely occurs. One hedgehog respects each other and met each other as far as possible avoid. Despite the seemingly clumsy hedgehog character is physically gifted. At a short distance through outer space can "run" speed 3,6-7 km / h, normally calm traveled per hour over 200 meters. It does not stop just any obstacle can climb and wire fence 1.5 meters high. Where not climb, tunnel underneath there.
Shelter
During the year tends to have several homes Hedgehog - summer nests, nests intended for rearing and winter nests. We find them in the bushes, under brushwood and larger stones under Tres or fallen trees, in the clefts of the rocks, or under sheds and outbuildings. Summer nests of a hedgehog are distant from one another 250-600 meters. In the hot summer (at night above 16 ° C) to bypass the Hedgehog without shelter. Hedgehog east a short burrows and dens, at most a half meters long. To build winter nests hedgehogs give the matter more., Since it will spend 3.5 - 6 months. Its walls are airtight and often it still covered with a layer of litter. Standing entrance has since upon getting hedgehogs inlet clogged.
Hedgehog diet
Originally zoologists considered a hedgehog for omnivores . Now it is obvious that the animal food ingredient in the diet predominates and representation vegetable diet is marginal. In addition to the results of the analysis suggest that food down the digestive tract with a simple stomach , medium- small intestine and completely missing appendix . Hedgehog in the diet is not picky and mostly feed on the most accessible type of food. Environmentalists such animals are called by food opportunists . The menu includes a wide range of country living mainly on invertebrate animals, sometimes you make it smaller vertebrate animals or their offspring. Also eggs of birds leaves hedgehog unnoticed, with eggs larger than 25 mm, however, due to the width of the jaw can not cope. Mostly it stocks attract quail , larks , pipits , ducks , gulls and pheasants . Concerns hunters from losses caused by urchins on pheasant clutches, or the young, are not justified, as most do 23% of the total losses. Only a small amount in feces urchins appear remnants of plant materials such as grasses, leaves, pine needles and seeds.
Ježčího diet composition varies according to the location of during the year and according to age (older individuals prefer less mobile and more easily available prey). Hedgehog is a big eater, per night can consume 50-70 g of food, or roughly a tenth of how much it weighs itself. In the fall when he creates fat reserves, eats much more than in the summer. Trapped bite you holding the front legs as striking force crushed bones , shells and chitin clipboard insects. None of our mammal is shrouded in so many superstitions like a hedgehog. Most people consider him due to images of Josef Lada for diligent collector of fallen fruit, which carries into bed. Modern zoology However, this fable , known to the ancient Rome , certainly disproved. Hedgehog sweet fruit in popularity not. But his "nice" smells different irritants, including those contained in the fermenting fruit. Perfumes I like them so that the "fragrant" subjects bulged. So it happens that he snaps at bodlinách sheet, paper, cigarette butt and an unfortunate apple .
Reproduction
Our hedgehogs reproduce once (late spring to early summer ), at most twice (to fall ) a year. After waking from hibernation are skinny and hungry, so he must first get "in shape." Only then it is time to establish a new generation. After 31-39 days of gestation bringing female first young of the world usually around mid- June , a second late litters born in September , rarely in October . In the litter is from two to nine pups, the average size of the litter varies between 4-5 cubs.
Courtship urchins are turbulent. First is the male a lot of effort to find a female . If you happen to be one of two competing suitors, launches into a fight in which missing bites or kicks. But even then, not champion a simple purchase. "Shy" females are left to "love" games for a long time to convince. Males of all sorts dorážejí them, chasing them and circulate, sometimes there will be a shock to some legs or nose. Thus it may take several hours, during which the animals still panting loudly.
Self mating takes 1-3 minutes in one position can be repeated several times up to 20 minutes. Males do not profess allegiance to females , and after mating begin to look for another partner. The fate of the offspring is not interested.
Hedgehogs are born blind and hairless, just after birth covering their body pink leather with numerous tubercles by quills that are deeply immersed in a heavily swollen skin. It weighs 80? ga is about 7 cm. After a few hours break through as if to test white and only a few millimeters long spines. About a day and a half to replace them harder spines that gradually grow within the next two weeks will typically striped coloring. At that time, hedgehogs and inspect for the first time, a week later to get on the first walk outside the nest and taste normal first pieces of food. Until then sucked only breast milk contains 10% fat , 7 protein , over 2% minerals , 2.0% carbohydrates and remainder water . Third, persistent young urchins grow spines after several months of life. When a female is born more offspring, it happens that all make a living. Hedgehog mom takes care of the brood about two months. Initially the chicks carefully hydrogen, shows how to find food and every night with them returning to his native nest. Full autonomy reach young hedgehogs at about a quarter of a kilogram of weight.
Sexually mature young hedgehogs aged 9-10 months, rarely a young male mate in the autumn of that year he was born. In captivity they can live hedgehog age up to 10 years in the wild at most 5-6 years. In fact, individuals older than 4 years are barely 9% (usually much less) populations. The largest mortality have babies during the first winter when they die up to 60%.
[ edit ] Hibernation
Special ježčího life span is winter sleep . Since the end of the summer to accumulate under the skin thick stock fat . Hope to successfully withstand the hardships of winter in individuals with weight at least 500-700 g, of which one third is just the fat reserves. Storage fat consists of so-called brown adipose tissue, stored mainly in the dorsal parts of the body (for quick energy needs during recovery) and white adipose tissue, deposited under the skin and in the body cavity (long-term reservoir of energy ). Losing weight during the winter is 20-50 overall and per day 0.2-0.3% of body weight.
Equally important is the choice of hiding. Winter nests must be thorough enough, almost completely waterproof and insulated from the cold. Measurements have shown that fluctuations in external temperature ranging from -8 to +8 ° C within a range temperature from +1 to +5 ° C.
We are hedgehogs hibernate mostly in October . Beginning Hibernate is usually followed by long-term decline in the average temperature of the air below 10-15 ° C, which, together with the lengthening nights induces changes in the production of certain hormones . While relaxing sleeping hedgehog polostočený on the side, when hibernating completely twisted into a ball. When his body temperature gradually decreases from the normal 35-36 ° C (average 35.4 ° C) at 5-8 ° C, turn the "automatic" heating that balances heat loss so well that the temperature never drops below zero - it would be frozen. During hibernation, the number of beats the heart is reduced from 200-300 to just 5 per minute, it is similar to blood pressure and respiration , which decreases from 40 to 50 breaths a mere 1-2 breaths per minute. Overall energy demands of the body ježčího reduced during hibernation for about 10% of the level in the active state. Furthermore, there is also a range of other physiological changes - more than half of the smaller pancreas , shrink the cancer , changing blood count ( white blood cells migrate to the lymph glands ) and the contents of various elements in the blood plasma , etc.
Hedgehog "separation from the world" is not continuous at certain intervals (5-11 days) are waking up without leaving the shelters. Normal body temperature reaches hedgehog in three hours. Likewise, hedgehogs wake up when disturbed or abrupt warming, but this means In addition, the energy consumption. therefore are rigid and snow rich winters for winter sleepers favorable than mild winters, with frequency thaw. finally awakening after many hedgehogs die sheer exhaustion before the advent of spring. overall length of hibernation depends on local climatic conditions: in Scandinavia hedgehogs hibernate eight months, in Germany and in our 5-6 months and the south of Europe are goals throughout the winter.
[ edit ] How to help hedgehogs![]()
Hedgehog in the wild has few natural enemies. The ability to curl up into prickly balls he often save lives by discouraging many beasts and birds of prey , for which it would otherwise be tempting morsel. In fact, the only two real enemies - polecat and the owl . Numerous remains of hedgehogs skin, finding in burrows skunks and dotted with nesting owls to show that both can outsmart the hedgehog. What, however, hedgehogs can not cope, the vagaries of weather, especially frequent winter thaw or heavy frosts without snow. In the summer, they do not indicate prolonged rain; when soaked and suffering from hypothermia cough and diarrhea . Slow growth and weight loss urchins in turn tends to blame lung parasite plicnivka Hedgehog . In some areas, attacks 80-90% of the adult population of hedgehogs. In contrast, the amount of ticks , fleas and mites that hedgehogs in their fur hosts, no serious danger does.
And now for your own cache
To have found our Vendu you must do the following:
Look and listen to the tale http://youtu.be/IPT6SIS20XU and learn the following:
· Find the number to which are in the order A, C, E.
· Find out who has Venda for Aunt: B = 8 - hare, B = 5 - uva, B = 0 - dachshund
Carefully read the listing and answer:
- What is the greatest recorded distance the Hedgehog climbed in one night?
· D = 2 .......... 5 km and 340 m
· D = 6 ......... 3 km and 140 m
· D = 9 .......... 6 km and 860 m
- What is the name hedgehog functional accessory olfactory organ in the mouth?
· F = 1 .......... the so-called Weber's body
· F = 5 .......... Telfajrův the body
· F = 8 ........... the Jacobson organ
Then you can add coordinate and go seek hedgehog Vendelín :-) 47.ABC N 49 ° E 14 ° 00.DEF When you find Vendelín, please be careful on it let us here will last a while :-). logblocku to get to the bottom, not just pull open the lid and remove the block. !!! WARNING cache is NOT PENCIL!!! Please do not put your logs Photo caches.
HINT - PLEASE READ LISTING
The following answers are optional but in advance I thank you for them.
On site check the following:
· What is Venda for 4 things injected in bodlinách?
· Where did you find Vendulína and where he was hiding?
These answers send me email via profile http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=92eee7ac-6f61-4b9b-8022-085d34e1bc55 . Used to know how it is, and if Vendelín straying.
thank you :-)
This listing drew from this site: uzlicek.cz, Wikipedia and YouTube
Have a nice and quiet hunting.