Sunday 8 April 2018

Hedgehogs and Hares

1986: Protected Animals (Design - A Kincses)
It is appropriate this Hungarian hedgehog is part of a protected animals set for the numbers in Britain have crashed from an estimated 30 million in the 1950s to today when it is thought there are fewer than a million of these delightful creatures. 
2016: 150th Anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter
Poor Mrs Tiggy-Winkle what will she do?  As well as the stamp in 2016 Mrs Tiggy-Winkle also appeared on a 50p coin although I've never seen one, maybe people squirreled them away or should I say Squirrel Nutkin away because there were 9 silver coins in total featuring her much loved characters
1977: British Wildlife (Design - Patrick Oxenham)
The hedgehog and the hare are mystical creatures which feature in many folk tales and legends but the hare is the only one considered magical.
1980: Wildlife (Design - Wendy Walsh)
Ireland featured an Irish Mountain Hare which unlike the Scandinavian mountain hare does not grow a white coat in winter and is slightly smaller in size.
1958: Forest Animals (brown hare)
The last time I saw a hare it was siting in an aerodrome car park, at first I thought it was a greyhound (no marks out of ten for wildlife identification for me) until it started to move like this.
1965: Pro Juventute (Design - Hans Erni)
Lets head for the hills and catch a glimpse of the Alpine Hare in its winter white colouring with just the tips of its ears remaining black.  This stamp is one of the Swiss Pro Juventus (For the Children) charity series of stamps which they have been issuing since 1912  
and beginning in 1943 the marginal tabs were inscribed with descriptions in Latin, German, French and Italian.  Traditionally they are issued during the holiday season so they can be sent on greeting and postcards. In this case however part of this 1965 set was sent
Post Code CHS85-7530 Zernez GR, 19.02.85, First Day Advertising Postmark (K965)
on a 1985 cover advertising Zernez, the village which is considered the gateway to the Swiss National Park, the biggest nature preserve in Switzerland and where one can enjoy all these alpine species after being seduced by the postmark and taking a vacation in the area.



An entry to the Sunday Stamps II prompt of the Letter H - for Hungary, Hare and Hedgehog - See It On A Postcard






7 comments:

Mail Adventures said...

What a collection of beauties! I haven't realised there are so many hedgehogs on stamps, but now I recall that I've got some of them, including Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. It's an animal I like a lot, I dn't know why. Maybe because I used to see a lot of them during my morning walks, in the former village I lived in.

viridian said...

I am sad to hear that the number of hedgehogs in the UK has crashed - I wonder why? Are they losing habitat?

FinnBadger said...

How can anyone not love a hedgehog, particularly on a stamp? Great to see some hares, too.

violet s said...

I have never seen a hedgehog in the wild. I feel saddened at their decrease in numbers.

Ana said...

OMG, hedgehogs! I absolutely adore hedgehogs! Every summer there is one crossing my garden in the evening when going to sleep, and sometimes I do catch him/her and hold it in my hands, with this irresistible desire to give it a hug!

agi said...

aww these are so cute! great idea to post them for the H :)

Bob Scotney said...

Pleased to see both the hedgehogs and the hares - no way could I match this selection. Sadly roadkill claimed a hare on one of our local roads last week.