Sometimes, you just need to know when to give an adoring couple in the throes of romance a little space. That's especially true if they are a threatened species.
One Redditor shared a short clip of two hedgehogs that came face to face in their yard.
The original poster noted that they had intentionally made their garden hedgehog-friendly, leaving "messy corners" of growth, as well as leaving fallen leaves to help the creatures hunt, sleep, and hibernate.
After giving the creatures some privacy, the OP hoped they might help to boost their species' numbers.
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"I don't know whether his advances were successful as I left them alone after this, but he was definitely doing his best, dancing his lil prickly butt off to impress her, so I hope she said yes," the Redditor said.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, hedgehogs are now listed as "near threatened" in Europe, as the Guardian shared.
The tiny, spiny creatures are being pushed to extinction by human activity, with roads disturbing habitats and causing hazards, pesticides posing chemical threats, and urban development encroaching on breeding grounds and nesting areas.
That's why natural lawns and intentional rewilding are so important to animals, the wider ecosystem, and biodiversity.
Gardeners can benefit, too, as these types of lawns are far less thirsty than monoculture grass, which can reduce water usage and save money on bills. This type of garden also needs far less maintenance than typical grass to keep looking lush, so it's a real time-saver.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, hedgehogs feed on invertebrates, which means they can help to eat the slugs and snails that feast in your prized vegetable patch, acting as natural pest control.
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Making it look better 🌱 Meanwhile, because of their spiky coats, they are also essential in transferring seeds during their travels. Larger animals also prey on hedgehogs despite their prickles, making them an essential part of the food web.
Of course, they are also impossibly enchanting, as commenters on Reddit observed.
"This is absolutely adorable, and you are fortunate to have these sweet visitors!" one said. "You may want to keep a look out for babies."
"How sweet and cute!" added another.
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