Helping Hedgehogs
© VectorMine/stock.adobe.com; Photo illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
A European hedgehog
Do hedgehogs have a superpower? Not quite, but the adorable animals do have very good hearing. Researchers say European hedgehogs’ hearing could be the key to saving the species.
Sounds travel to our ears in vibrations called sound waves. Sound waves that humans can’t hear are called ultrasonic. Dogs have famously sensitive ears. They can hear far more sound waves than humans. Hedgehogs can hear even more. In fact, researchers at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom have found that hedgehogs can hear at least twice as many ultrasonic sound waves as dogs!
Scientist Sophie Lund Rasmussen led the hedgehog research. Rasmussen, who has become known as “Dr. Hedgehog,” believes her discoveries could help European hedgehogs, which are often hit by cars.
“I thought perhaps we could try and make sound repellers for cars so the hedgehogs would avoid crossing the roads when the cars were running,” Rasmussen told the Associated Press.
The sound repellers, or sound emitters, would make sounds that hedgehogs, but not humans or pets, could hear. The sound emitters could be attached to cars, plus lawn mowers and other dangerous machines. Rasmussen hopes the sounds would scare the hedgehogs away and protect them from harm.
Rasmussen says the next step is to make the sound emitters. She’s hoping car makers will be willing to help develop and test the devices.
© VectorMine/stock.adobe.com; Photo illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Hearing is measured in units called hertz (Hz) and kilohertz (kHz). This diagram shows that a hedgehog’s hearing is much more sensitive than a dog’s hearing.
