As cultural successors, hedgehogs reside in close proximity to humans. Close contacts, however, can bear risks for animals and humans. Road traffic, lawn mowers and infectious agents threaten the prickly insect eaters. Some infectious agents can be transmitted to humans. Considerate treatment of wildlife and appropriate hygiene measures minimize the risk of infection. A recent study has identified Corynebacterium ulcerans—a close relative of the diphtheria causing bacterium—in hedgehogs. The study is published in Emerging Microbes & Infections.