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FIRST
INTERNATIONAL HEDGEHOG WORKSHOP
25 - 28 APRIL
1996 Arendal, Norway |
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SUMMARY |
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During 3 days 16
people from 9 different countries in Europe were assembled at Breidablikk
Gjestegård at Tromøy to present their work on european hedgehogs,
and discuss the idea of a joint, european hedgehog project. Only 4 participants
had to leave Norway at the formal end of the workshop on Sunday 28 April,
the rest joined the excursion to Beate's summerhouse at Lyngør.
The main conclusion
after the "First International Hedgehog Workshop" in Arendal, Norway 25
- 28 April 1996, must be that the workshop was a great success - both scientific
and socially. Despite very cold weather and even snow, the excursion to
Lyngør was also a success, although the hedgehogs at Steinsøya
did not appear.
Discussions about
a joint european hedgehog project were started during the workshop, and
continued during the excursion at Lyngør. Below are the main conclusions:
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| 1 |
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"European Hedgehog
Research Group" (EHRG) was formed.
The main objectives
of EHRG:
To include one or
more members (scientists) from every country in Europe that may contribute
with data on: hedgehog distribution, ecology, genetics and morphology to
a common european hedgehog data base.
EHRG is a research
group that should NOT be mixed up with other idealistic, non-scientific
hedgehog societies who work i.e. on the caring and nursing of sick and
injured hedgehogs.
EHRG is a group
of scientists from european countries that operates independent from any
fixed university or institute, and may apply for financial support to organise
conferences, workshops, co-operation in field work, laboratory analysis,
data analysis and publications, invest in hardware, software or consultanties.
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| 2 |
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"Distribution
and variation among hedgehogs in Europe"
is the title of
the first, joint, european hedgehog project of EHRG. This wide project
title contains several smaller, separate sub-projects that should be executed
in a similar way in as many european countries as possible. These sub-projects
are as follows:
| A) |
Distribution
of the hedgehog species and subspecies in Europe.
One scientist from
each european country is responsible for collection of data on the distribution
of hedgehogs in each country. The data should be based on the European
UTM grid-system of 10x10 km squares used in the European Mammal Atlas Project.
The method of data collection (questionnaire, road dead counts, other)
may vary from country to country depending on what is the most suitable
in each country. Method should be discussed with other members in EHRG
before starting the data collection. Some countries already have their
distribution maps, while the others will do this during 1996 and 1997.
Material:
Live and dead hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Pat Morris and Beate Johansen (software).
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| B) |
Genetically variation
of hedgehogs in Europe.
One scientist from
each european country is responsible for the collection of 10-20 small
meet samples in 96% alcohol for DNA-analysis. Co-operation with a geneticist
in England. This project was started in 1995, and will continue in 1996.
Material:
Dead hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Nigel Reeve.
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| C) |
Morphological
variation of hedgehogs in Europe.
One scientist from
each european country is responsible for measurements and photographs of
diagnostic external characters of hedgehogs. Minimum 20 hedgehogs from
each country/species/subspecies. Use Matti's guide for study of characters
(herewith attached). This study was started in 1995, and will continue
in 1996.
Material:
Live and dead hedgehogs.
Person in
charge: Matti Masing. |
| D) |
Behavioural variation
of hedgehogs in Europe.
Radiotelemetry, spooling
or betalight marking are appropriate methods to study animal behaviour
of wild living, nocturnal species. Studies of behavioural differences between
two sympatric hedgehog species/subspecies in their geographic zone of sympatry
is of special interest, together with information on their morphological
and genetically differences and similarities. One of the aims is to find
out whether hedgehog species hybridise in the wild in their zone of sympatry.
This is a time-consuming and expensive project which needs financial support
and several persons in charge. Not to be started before 1997.
Material:
Live hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Gundega Kampe, Nigel Reeve, Beate Johansen. |
| E) |
Variation in
litter size of hedgehogs in Europe
- Effects of
climatic variables.
Pat Morris is responsible
for sending out a questionnaire about hedgehog litter size (before the
nestlings leave the nest) to each country representant during spring 1996.
The country representants are responsible for translating, distributing
and collecting the data in their respective countries during the summer
1996. Pat Morris is responsible for collecting and analysing the data during
autumn 1996.
Material:
Live and dead hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Pat Morris. |
| F) |
Variation in
yearly activity pattern of hedgehogs in Europe
- Effects of
climatic variables.
Questionnaire or
road dead counts. Pat Morris is responsible for distributing to every country
representant a questionnaire for road counts that is already in use in
the UK. He will also collect and analyse the data from the various countries.
This project will be started in 1996 and continued in 1997. A simple questionnaire
about hedgehog observations may also be used.
Material:
Live and dead hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Pat Morris. |
| G) |
Distribution
and occurrence of self-anointing in hedgehogs in Europe
- Effects of
different variables.
This project is still
at the conception level.
Material:
Live hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Nigel Reeve. |
| H) |
Distribution
of pollutants in hedgehogs in Europe.
Dead hedgehogs should
be put in the freezer for later analysis.
Material:
Dead hedgehogs.
Person in charge:
Richard Shore. |
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| 3 |
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Beate Johansen
was chosen as a central co-ordinator of EHRG as long as she has her daily
work at a place with all modern facilities like Internet services and WWW,
phone, fax and copier. |
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| 4 |
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Beate Johansen
is responsible for the updating of EHRG's address-list, so all members
of EHRG must remember to give comments to the list to Beate. |
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| 5 |
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Beate Johansen
was chosen to make EHRG's Homepage on the WWW, and a newsgroup. |
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| 6 |
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All members of
EHRG must look for a digitised map of Europe and a suitable PC map-program
to make the distribution map of hedgehogs in Europe, as well as separate
maps for the results from each sub-projects. Financial support for a GIS-consultant
may be needed. Beate Johansen will send a request to UNEP/GRID-Arendal
and Statens Kartverk-The Environmental Unit. |
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| 7 |
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All members of
EHRG must help to find hedgehog scientists in the rest of Europe, preferably
already the summer of 1996, to collect as much data as possible from as
many european countries as possible for the different sub-projects. (Remember
to give new names and addresses to Beate. Beate may also distribute
material to new EHRG members). |
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| 8 |
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EHRG meetings
should be held every second year. |
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| 9 |
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Next workshop
will be in connection with the "International Ethological Conference" (IEC)
in Vienna 20-27 August 1997. Benedict Foger is responsible
for the organising and to apply for financial support. |
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| 10 |
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Kirsten Fournais
offered to organise a workshop in Denmark if/when she moves to a bigger
house. Anyone that would like to organise a EHRG meeting in the future,
is welcome to do so. Please, contact Beate Johansen. |
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