No, the Algerian hedgehog never throws its quills. When faced with a threat, it simply rolls itself into a ball using a powerful orbicularis muscle, thus bristling its quills outwards. This confusion comes from the porcupine, an unrelated rodent, some of whose quills can detach on contact – but they too are not thrown.
A passive defense, not a thrown weapon
The Algerian hedgehog (Atelerix algirus) belongs to the order Eulipotyphla, like moles and shrews, while the porcupine is a rodent of the order Rodentia. These two lineages evolved independently into quills, a classic example of evolutionary convergence rather than relatedness. Their defensive strategy differs radically: the hedgehog relies on immobility and muscular contraction to form a spiky ball, making any bite or scratch difficult for a predator like a fox or dog. There is no anatomical mechanism allowing it to eject a quill from a distance.
In the porcupine, on the other hand, some weakly anchored quills become detached when a predator comes into direct contact with the animal, often during a rear charge or tail swipe; they can then plant themselves in the muzzle or paws of the aggressor. This detachment upon contact is sometimes misinterpreted as a “shooting”, even though no active projection has ever been scientifically demonstrated, even in this species.
Why this preconceived idea persists
Confusion between the two species remains frequent in popular culture and certain cartoons, which attribute to the hedgehog abilities borrowed from the porcupine. In Tunisia and the Maghreb, where the Algerian hedgehog is present in gardens and rural areas, this belief can unnecessarily worry people who come across it. In reality, a disturbed hedgehog will freeze or curl up into a ball; it does not represent any risk of projection and generally unfolds on its own once the threat has passed.
