Hedgehogs' raucous mating ritual keeping Germans up at night

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German residents are being kept up at night by loud noises from frisky hedgehogs partaking in their mating ritual, according to a report.

Emergency services recently responded to a call in Augsburg of loud noises coming from a grade school playground, only to find a pair of hedgehogs that was in the middle of mating, The Guardian reported Monday.

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"The suspicious noises were soon pinned on a hedgehog couple in the midst of a mating ritual," a police report titled "Prickly intruders" explained.

It is not unusual for hedgehogs to make loud noises while coupling. This includes hissing, snarling, purring and loud screaming, which can be mistaken for humans.

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Police in Germany have responded in the past to similar calls of loud nocturnal noises, which have also turned out to be hedgehogs mating.

A hedgehog expert in Munich told The Guardian, "Hedgehogs snarl loudly during the hours-long mating ritual and the males make the most noise."

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Hedgehog experts have advised the authorities not to interfere with the mating process, as human disturbances or bright lights could break up the copulating. The most active mating period is from April to September.