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European hedgehogs were brought to New Zealand by European colonists in the 1870s to remind them of their homeland. They have now spread throughout the country, being absent only in inhospitable environments. The general public has a benign attitude to them but conservationists and regional councils regard these animals as pests as they prey on some native animals and compete with them for food. ==Introductions and distribution== Discussions on importing hedgehogs into New Zealand began as early as 1868. The first recorded introductions of the European hedgehog (''Erinaceus europaeus occidentalis'') were by the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society in 1870, with subsequent introductions in 1871, 1885, 1890 and 1894. It is likely that they all came from Britain. Beyond acclimatisation, hedgehogs were also introduced to control garden pests such as slugs, snails and grass grubs.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Facts: Hedgehogs )〕 Throughout much of the 20th century New Zealand-born hedgehogs were liberated in many parts of the country,〔 from those few animals, hedgehog numbers increased dramatically. In the 1920s hedgehogs were so numerous that they were blamed for reducing the tally of small game birds and a bounty was put on their noses. By the 1950s hedgehog numbers reached their maximum. To judge by roadkill figures, hedgehogs were 50 times more numerous in New Zealand than anywhere else. Since the 1950s, their numbers have fallen but over large parts of New Zealand hedgehogs are still more numerous than in Britain. By 1972 they may have reached their maximum range.〔 Today hedgehogs are present in almost all habitats, including urban, rural, braided river and forests areas. The few areas they are not present in are inhospitable environments like above the permanent snow line and in the wettest parts of Fiordland.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Hedgehog distribution – Acclimatisation )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hedgehogs in New Zealand」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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