SWEET CROW NUDGES HEDGEHOG TO SAFETY

Although some communities take special precautions to protect wildlife, roads are usually dangerous places for animals. Although some cities around the world have installed wildlife overpasses and wildlife crossing signs, conditions remain dangerous for the creatures that live there. In fact, some animals seem to have learned how bad it is and seek out conspecifics.

A cute video has emerged showing a clever crow pecking a hedgehog standing in the middle of the road and whisking him away to safety. In this clip shot in Latvia, a driver appears to stop to allow other creatures to cross the road safely. However, for some combinations, this doesn't seem to go as smoothly. When the crow notices an oncoming car, it begins to peck the hedgehog with its beak. The confused hedgehog ran a little and curled up, not realising that he was still in a dangerous place. The crow does not give up and stands behind him, nudging him until he reaches the curb. Although this behaviour is admirable, some people think that the crow's behaviour is not so noble. Ticks and parasites live on hedgehogs' spines, so no matter how dangerous the area they were in, the crows may simply have been trying to grab a snack.

Crows, on the other hand,  are very intelligent birds and may be aware of the dangers of road traffic. They are also known to be friendly towards other species and may actually care about their neighbours. We may never know what happened between these two. Still, it's not bad to think that the crow took care of the hedgehog and the story had a happy ending. Rather, it shows that unless urban developers take local wildlife into account, it's up to drivers and the animals themselves to roam peacefully and cross roads safely.