| evaluating the impact of wildlife shelter management on the genetic diversity of erinaceus europaeus and e. roumanicus in their contact zone. | hedgehogs are among the most abundant species to be found within wildlife shelters and after successful rehabilitation they are frequently translocated. the effects and potential impact of these translocations on gene flow within wild populations are largely unknown. in this study, different wild hedgehog populations were compared with artificially created "shelter populations", with regard to their genetic diversity, in order to establish basic data for future inferences on the genetic impact o ... | 2020 | 32825208 |
| over-winter survival and nest site selection of the west-european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) in arable dominated landscapes. | the west-european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) has declined markedly in the uk. the winter hibernation period may make hedgehogs vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat and climate changes. therefore, we studied two contrasting populations in england to examine patterns of winter nest use, body mass changes and survival during hibernation. no between-site differences were evident in body mass prior to hibernation nor the number of winter nests used, but significant differences in overwinter mass c ... | 2020 | 32825054 |
| hibernation patterns of the european hedgehog, erinaceus europaeus, at a cornish rescue centre. | the european hedgehog, erinaceus europaeus, is frequently admitted to rescue centres in the uk. with many overwintering in captivity, there is cause to investigate hibernation patterns in order to inform and improve husbandry and monitoring protocols. thirty-five hedgehogs were studied over two winters. weight change during hibernation for the first winter was used to test for effects of disturbance on different aspects of hibernation, including total duration, frequency and duration of spontane ... | 2020 | 32823861 |
| patterns of feeding by householders affect activity of hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) during the hibernation period. | west european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) are likely to encounter unusual ecological features in urban habitats, such as anthropogenic food sources and artificial refugia. quantifying how these affect hedgehog behaviour is vital for informing conservation guidelines for householders. we monitored hedgehog presence/absence in gardens in the town of reading, uk, over the winter of 2017-2018 using a volunteer-based footprint tunnel survey, and collected data on garden characteristics, supplemen ... | 2020 | 32759762 |
| moving in the dark-evidence for an influence of artificial light at night on the movement behaviour of european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus). | with urban areas growing worldwide comes an increase in artificial light at night (alan), causing a significant impact on wildlife behaviour and its ecological relationships. the effects of alan on nocturnal and protected european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) are unknown but their identification is important for sustainable species conservation and management. in a pilot study, we investigated the influence of alan on the natural movement behaviour of 22 hedgehogs (nine females, 13 males) in ... | 2020 | 32751525 |
| invasive mammalian predators habituate to and generalize avian prey cues: a mechanism for conserving native prey. | invasive mammalian predators can cause the decline and extinction of vulnerable native species. many invasive mammalian predators are dietary generalists that hunt a variety of prey. these predators often rely upon olfaction when foraging, particularly at night. little is understood about how prey odor cues are used to inform foraging decisions. prey cues can vary spatially and temporally in their association with prey and can either reveal the location of prey or lead to unsuccessful foraging. ... | 2020 | 32573866 |
| crenosoma striatum in lungs of european hedgehogs (erinaceus europeus) from portugal. | crenosoma striatum is a host-specifi c metastrongiloid nematode causing respiratory tract disease in hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus). since few studies have reported c. striatum in hedgehogs and little genetic data is available concerning this lungworm, this study aimed to determine the occurrence of c. striatum in a population sample of hedgehogs from portugal, additionally providing morphological, histological and molecular data. from 2017 to 2018 a survey of infection was carried out in 11 ne ... | 2020 | 32518495 |
| diagnosis of hypothermia in the european hedgehog, erinaceus europaeus, using infrared thermography. | the european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) is the most common mammal species admitted to rescue centres in the uk. the temperature of a new admission is useful in assessing health status, hypothermia can indicate shock or impaired health, assessing this can be challenging due to their ability to curl tightly. measuring body temperature using conventional rectal thermometers is not possible. in order to improve welfare and to maximise successful rehabilitation, it is important to incorporate new ... | 2020 | 32479381 |
| effects of artificial light at night (alan) on european hedgehog activity at supplementary feeding stations. | : artificial light at night (alan) can have negative consequences for a wide range of taxa. however, the effects on nocturnal mammals other than bats are poorly understood. a citizen science camera trapping experiment was therefore used to assess the effect of alan on the activity of european hedgehogs (erinaceuseuropaeus) at supplementary feeding stations in uk gardens. a crossover design was implemented at 33 gardens with two treatments-artificial light and darkness-each of which lasted for on ... | 2020 | 32354129 |
| salmonellosis in hedgehogs. | african pygmy hedgehogs are popular pets worldwide. the knowledge and understanding of pet hedgehog common veterinary conditions are increasing as new information and research are published; however, there is still much to learn about this fascinating animal. salmonella is one of the most common zoonoses worldwide and is naturally isolated from the intestinal tract of many animal species, including hedgehogs. this article discusses the cause, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention ... | 2020 | 32327048 |
| eco-virological preliminary study of potentially emerging pathogens in hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) recovered at a wildlife treatment and rehabilitation center in northern italy. | the western european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) is one of the four hedgehog species belonging to the genus erinaceus. among them, e. amurensis is extant in east asia's areas only, whereas e. europaeus, e. roumanicus and e. concolor are mainly found in europe. e. europaeus is endemically distributed from western to central and southern europe, including italy. western european hedgehogs' ecological and feeding habits, along with their high population densities, notable synanthropic attitudes, ... | 2020 | 32121543 |
| predicting hedgehog mortality risks on british roads using habitat suitability modelling. | road vehicle collisions are likely to be an important contributory factor in the decline of the european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) in britain. here, a collaborative roadkill dataset collected from multiple projects across britain was used to assess when, where and why hedgehog roadkill are more likely to occur. seasonal trends were assessed using a generalized additive model. there were few casualties in winter-the hibernation season for hedgehogs-with a gradual increase from february that ... | 2020 | 31998548 |
| genetic structure of the european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) in denmark. | low genetic diversity can lead to reduced average fitness in a population or even extinction. preserving genetic connectivity across fragmented landscapes is therefore vital to counteract the negative consequences of genetic drift and inbreeding. this study aimed to assess the genetic composition and consequently the conservation status of a nationwide sample of european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) in denmark. | 2020 | 31951621 |
| wild mammals as potential silent reservoirs of leishmania infantum in a mediterranean area. | a molecular survey of wild mammals was performed to assess their potential as reservoirs of l. infantum. a total of 156 specimens of wild mammalian fauna were obtained for analysis from areas in catalonia with a reported incidence of canine leishmaniasis. they consisted of 124 small mammals: 35 mus spretus (muridae); 64 erinaceus europaeus (erinaceidae), 25 sciurus vulgaris (sciuridae) and 32 carnivores: 11 vulpes vulpes (canidae), 1 felis catus (felidae), 15 meles meles, 4 martes foina and 1 mu ... | 2020 | 31901603 |
| the ecology of suburban juvenile european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) in denmark. | european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) populations are widespread across diverse habitats but are declining in western europe. drastic declines have been described in the uk, with the most severe declines occurring in rural areas. hedgehogs are widely distributed in denmark, but their status remains unknown.fieldwork on hedgehogs has tended to focus on rural areas, leaving their ecology in suburban habitats largely unexplored, with clear implications for conservation initiatives. here, we study ... | 2019 | 31871637 |
| identification of a novel betacoronavirus (merbecovirus) in amur hedgehogs from china. | while dromedaries are the immediate animal source of middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) epidemic, viruses related to mers coronavirus (mers-cov) have also been found in bats as well as hedgehogs. to elucidate the evolution of mers-cov-related viruses and their interspecies transmission pathway, samples were collected from different mammals in china. a novel coronavirus related to mers-cov, erinaceus amurensis hedgehog coronavirus hku31 (ea-hedcov hku31), was identified from two amur hedgeho ... | 2019 | 31653070 |
| the ethics and welfare implications of keeping western european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) in captivity. | patient outcomes for hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) casualties are not limited to release versus euthanasia; some hedgehogs have conditions that do not preclude their ability to survive in captivity with human intervention. this research explored the welfare implications and ethical issues of keeping disabled hedgehogs in permanent captivity. currently, there is very little in the literature and the subject is highly emotive and controversial. a questionnaire was used to assess welfare and these ... | 2020 | 31596158 |
| investigating the role of the eurasian badger (meles meles) in the nationwide distribution of the western european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) in england. | biodiversity is declining globally, which calls for effective conservation measures. it is, therefore, important to investigate the drivers behind species presence at large spatial scales. the western european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) is one of the species facing declines in parts of its range. yet, drivers of western european hedgehog distribution at large spatial scales remain largely unknown. at local scales, the eurasian badger (meles meles), an intraguild predator of the western europ ... | 2019 | 31581679 |
| detection of tetracycline resistance genes in european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) and crested porcupines (hystrix cristata). | relatively little is known regarding the role of wildlife in the development of antibiotic resistance. our aim was to assess the presence of the tetracycline resistance genes, tet(a), tet(b), tet(c), tet(d), tet(e), tet(g), tet(k), tet(l), tet(m), tet(o), tet(p), tet(q), tet(s), and tet(x), in tissue samples of 14 hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) and 15 crested porcupines (hystrix cristata) using pcr assays. one or more tet genes were found in all but three hedgehogs and one crested porcupine. of ... | 2020 | 31526277 |
| european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) as a natural reservoir of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus carrying mecc in denmark. | a recent study from sweden showed that european hedgehogs may constitute a reservoir for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa), but this host-parasite relationship remains to be investigated in other countries. in this study, we therefore sought to: 1) determine the dissemination of mrsa in european hedgehogs throughout denmark; 2) investigate determinants of mrsa carriage in hedgehogs; 3) determine the potential for zoonotic transmission of mrsa from hedgehogs to humans; and 4) cha ... | 2019 | 31490992 |
| music festival makes hedgehogs move: how individuals cope behaviorally in response to human-induced stressors. | understanding the impact of human activities on wildlife behavior and fitness can improve their sustainability. in a pilot study, we wanted to identify behavioral responses to anthropogenic stress in an urban species during a semi-experimental field study. we equipped eight urban hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus; four per sex) with bio-loggers to record their behavior before and during a mega music festival (2 × 19 days) in treptower park, berlin. we used gps (global positioning system) to monitor ... | 2019 | 31323837 |
| evaluation of alfaxalone and dexmedetomidine for intramuscular restraint in european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus). | the european hedgehogs may require the use of chemical restraint for clinical examination because of their tendency to roll up as a defensive behaviour. this study evaluated the effects of alfaxalone combined with dexmedetomidine for restraint of hedgehogs undergoing pre-release health checks and atipamezole for recovery.twenty hedgehogs received alfaxalone 2 mg/kg and dexmedetomidine 0.05 mg/kg intramuscularly in the quadriceps. if the righting reflex was still present, both drugs were administ ... | 2019 | 31292273 |
| listeria monocytogenes infection of free-living western european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus). | listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium that causes disease in a wide range of species. infection with this pathogen is most frequently diagnosed in ruminant livestock, but is also known to infect people and occasionally wildlife. postmortem examinations of western european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) in great britain (2011-2017) identified five (5/266, 2%, 95% confidence interval: 0.8-4.3%) animals with l. monocytogenes infection. the l. monocytogenes isolates compris ... | 2019 | 31120677 |
| title: ecological relevance of least cost path analysis: an easy implementation method for landscape urban planning. | landscape connectivity promotes dispersal and other types of movement, including foraging activity; consequently, the inclusion of connectivity concept is a priority in conservation and landscape planning in response to fragmentation. urban planners expect the scientific community to provide them with an easy, but scientifically rigorous, method to identify highly connecting contexts in landscapes. the least-cost paths (lcp) method is one of the simplest resistance-based models that could be a g ... | 2019 | 31108311 |
| maximizing habitat connectivity in the mitigation hierarchy. a case study on three terrestrial mammals in an urban environment. | environmental policies and the objective of no net loss highlight the importance of preserving ecological networks to limit the fragmentation of natural habitats and biodiversity loss, especially due to urbanization. in the environmental impact assessment context, habitat connectivity and the spatio-temporal dynamics of biodiversity are crucial to obtaining reliable predictions that can support decision-making. we propose a methodological framework 1) to quantify the overall impact of a developm ... | 2019 | 31103679 |
| diversity of staphylococcus aureus clones in wild mammals in aragon, spain, with detection of mrsa st130-mecc in wild rabbits. | to determine the staphylococcus aureus carriage rate in wild mammals in aragon, northern spain, to analyse their antimicrobial resistance phenotype/genotype and to characterize the recovered isolates. | 2019 | 31063623 |
| extension of the known distribution of a novel clade c betacoronavirus in a wildlife host. | disease surveillance in wildlife populations presents a logistical challenge, yet is critical in gaining a deeper understanding of the presence and impact of wildlife pathogens. erinaceus coronavirus (ericov), a clade c betacoronavirus, was first described in western european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) in germany. here, our objective was to determine whether ericov is present, and if it is associated with disease, in great britain (gb). an ericov-specific bryt-green® real-time reverse trans ... | 2019 | 31063092 |
| application of a ssr-gbs marker system on investigation of european hedgehog species and their hybrid zone dynamics. | by applying second-generation sequencing technologies to microsatellite genotyping, sequence information is produced which can result in high-resolution population genetics analysis populations and increased replicability between runs and laboratories. in the present study, we establish an approach to study the genetic structure patterns of two european hedgehog species erinaceaus europaeus and e. roumanicus. these species are usually associated with human settlements and are good models to stud ... | 2019 | 30891219 |
| an easy, flexible solution to attach devices to hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) enables long-term high-resolution studies. | bio-logging is an essential tool for the investigation of behavior, ecology, and physiology of wildlife. this burgeoning field enables the improvement of population monitoring and conservation efforts, particularly for small, elusive animals where data collection is difficult. device attachment usually requires species-specific solutions to ensure that data loggers exert minimal influence on the animal's behavior and physiology, and ensure high reliability of data capture. external features or p ... | 2019 | 30680147 |
| pyometra caused by staphylococcus lentus in a wild european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus). | a severely debilitated, free-living adult female european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) was presented for rehabilitation. it died overnight, and postmortem examination revealed a closed pyometra. histopathology confirmed metritis with endometrial hyperplasia, and staphylococcus lentus was isolated from the purulent uterine material. staphylococcus lentus has not been previously reported to cause infections in european hedgehogs. | 2019 | 30628855 |
| low structural complexity of nonnative grassland habitat exposes prey to higher predation. | the structural complexity of vegetation can have profound effects on the hunting efficiency of predators, thereby affecting their intake rate of prey. while studies have shown that vegetation complexity can play an important role in managing unwanted impacts of predators, it is less clear how structural complexity of invasive vegetation affects the vulnerability of terrestrial prey. short nonnative pasture species bred for agricultural production, for example, are highly invasive and pervade gra ... | 2019 | 30415475 |
| detection and characterisation of multiple herpesviruses in free-living western european hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus). | sporadic cases of herpesvirus-associated disease have been reported in the western european hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus), but there has been little surveillance for, nor any sequence characterisation of, herpesviruses in this species to date. a nested pan-herpesvirus polymerase chain reaction (pcr) targeting a region of the dna polymerase gene was used to test 129 western european hedgehogs from across great britain, 2011-2016; 59 (46%) of which were pcr-positive. in addition, samples from two ... | 2018 | 30224824 |
| reduced occupancy of hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) in rural england and wales: the influence of habitat and an asymmetric intra-guild predator. | agricultural landscapes have become increasingly intensively managed resulting in population declines across a broad range of taxa, including insectivores such as the hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus). hedgehog declines have also been attributed to an increase in the abundance of badgers (meles meles), an intra-guild predator. the status of hedgehogs across the rural landscape at large spatial scales is, however, unknown. in this study, we used footprint tracking tunnels to conduct the first nation ... | 2018 | 30190482 |
| the pineal gland of the shrew (blarina brevicauda and blarina carolinensis): a light and electron microscopic study of pinealocytes. | the pineal gland structure and ultrastructure in the northern (blarina brevicauda) and southern short-tailed shrew (blarina carolinensis) are described by light and electron microscopy. results observed were similar to other mammals of insectivora described previously, specifically, the hedgehog (erinaceus europaeus) and the old world mole (talpa europea). two different types of pinealocytes were noticed by electron microscopy, in addition to relatively few glial cells. granular vesicles were no ... | 2018 | 30088080 |
| the pathology of wobbly hedgehog syndrome. | wobbly hedgehog syndrome (whs) is a leading cause of neurologic disease in african pygmy hedgehogs (aphs; atelerix albiventris). this study describes the signalment, clinical signs, gross, microscopic, and ultrastructural lesions of whs in a cohort of 12 pet aphs. microscopically, lesions consisted of status spongiosus of the white matter, typically bilateral and symmetrical, with myelin degeneration and loss that was accompanied by neuronal/axonal degeneration plus reactive microgliosis and mil ... | 2018 | 29673307 |
| molecular basis of cross-species ace2 interactions with sars-cov-2-like viruses of pangolin origin. | pangolins have been suggested as potential reservoir of zoonotic viruses, including sars-cov-2 causing the global covid-19 outbreak. here, we study the binding of two sars-cov-2-like viruses isolated from pangolins, gx/p2v/2017 and gd/1/2019, to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hace2), the receptor of sars-cov-2. we find that the spike protein receptor-binding domain (rbd) of pangolin covs binds to hace2 as efficiently as the sars-cov-2 rbd in vitro. furthermore, incorporation of pangolin ... | 2021 | 34018203 |