ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS PRESENTED
Edited by Dino Scaravelli & Nigel Reeve
 
 

Roads as barriers to movement in hedgehogs
C. Rondinini* and C. P. Doncaster**
*Dept. of Animal and Human Biology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Viale dell'Università, 32, I - 00185 Rome, Italy. E-mail: c.rondinini@pan.bio.uniroma1.it

We measured the impact of roads on the movements of hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus, by recording their nocturnal foraging trajectories in urban areas adjacent to major road systems. 

Four male and four female hedgehogs at each of two sites were each tracked over five replicate trajectories of more than 3 h, using radio-telemetry and direct observation. Frequency of road crossings and use of habitat were compared to simulated random trajectories. For each observed trajectory, we simulated 100 trajectories with the same distribution of speeds as observed, but random direction. 

Observed trajectories had rates of crossing large but not small roads that were lower than those predicted by our simulation, indicating that hedgehogs treat large roads as barriers during nightly foraging activities. 

Most hedgehogs were never observed to cross roads, whereas almost all simulated trajectories did cross both large and small roads. Crossing behaviour differed by site, but not by sex. 

Roads and road verges had the lowest rank in a habitat preference analysis at both sites, whilst playing fields, gardens and urban areas were preferred habitats. We discuss these results in relation to the regional scale preference for urban areas, and the attraction to road verges whilst dispersing, shown by hedgehogs. 
 
 

Ecology of hedgehogs in a highway environment
G. Kampe-Persson,
Latvian Teriological Society, Kristapa iela 30, Riga, Latvia.

Responses to the newly built highway, habitat selection and mating system of two hedgehog populations were examined within the context of the project «Fauna considerations along the Yttre Ringvägen highway outside Malmö City». Investigations were carried out in two suburban villages, located near the Yttre Ringvägen outside Malmö, South Sweden. Field work was carried out in June/July 2000 and in May/June 2001. 
The main field work method, used to monitor movements of the hedgehogs regarding response to the new highway and habitat selection, was radio-tracking together with direct observations. To examine the mating system, microchip transponders were also used to recognise individual hedgehogs.
 Observations showed that hedgehogs prefer to forage in gardens around houses and in wasteland. Selection of these habitats was high in both years – in 2000 as well as in 2001. There was no evidence indicating a negative response to the Yttre Ringvägen by the hedgehog population in Tullstorp village. The fluctuations in the hedgehog population in Burlöv village suggests that the population cannot be regarded as stable and the impact of the newly built highway should be assessed in future investigations. 
 When studying mate choice, differences were observed in sexual activity not only among males but, also, in females of the population. Males, which were heavier and, therefore in better condition at the beginning of the mating period, were most active and were involved in more sexual encounters than other males. In females, those involved in more courtships/matings also had small home ranges, thus indicating a possible link between the general behaviour pattern of a female and its breeding success. 
 
 

“Suburban Neurotics” - Physiological and Behavioural Manifestations of Stress in Urban and Rural European Hedgehogs.
A. Dekrout, N. Ling, and J. Waas
Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research (CBER), Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Waikato, Private bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand

Anthropogenic disturbances can stress biota, and one of the most significant environmental pressures is urbanization. Interactions between people and wildlife in urban environments continue to increase as human populations grow and expand into the natural environment. Plants and animals in cities are part of an urban ecosystem but relatively few species adapt well to this environment. The urban ecosystem tends to favour colonization by nocturnal mammal species because of the predominantly diurnal activity of people in urban areas.

Urban ecosystems are generally highly disturbed systems, subject to fluctuations in many factors including soil and plant cover, temperature and light, water and food availability, noise, pollutants, and barriers to dispersal such as built structures and dogs. These stressors may have cumulative effects on urban biota. Species that inhabit both rural and urban habitats provide a unique opportunity to compare stress-related differences in physiology and behaviour. Hedgehogs are an ideal model for such studies and are an abundant introduced species in New Zealand. We are investigating whether New Zealand urban hedgehogs display greater levels of stress by examining a range of physiological and behavioural parameters in comparison with rural individuals.

Hedgehogs from rural and urban locations are being followed by radio telemetry to examine the dynamics of home range size and microhabitat use. Physiological indicators of stress include a range of haematological indices including red and white blood cell counts and cortisol. Translocations of individuals between rural and urban localities will examine the ability of animals to adapt to rapid habitat change.

Animals are fitted with 1.4 g single stage radiotransmitters (Sirtrack) and red flashing light-emitting diodes, which are glued directly to the quills. Individuals are followed for up to ten days when a single blood sample is taken by footpad puncture. Laboratory experiments are examining the role that nocturnal light and noise play in behavioural disturbance of animals in pseudo-natural out-door enclosures.

Pilot studies of physiological stress responses indicate that hedgehogs display rapid and significant changes in whole blood cortisol in response to disturbance. Cortisol increased approximately six-fold following handling. Field and laboratory investigations are ongoing and preliminary results will be presented. 
 
 

Diversity and biogeographical relationships of helminth fauna in the Erinaceidae.
J.C. Casanova, C. Feliu, A. Ribas, and S. Blasco
Laboratory of Parasitology. Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Barcelona. Avda Diagonal s/n 08028 Barcelona. Spain. E-mail: casanova@farmacia.far.ub.es

The helminth fauna of the Erinaceidae remains poorly documented with a small total number of species recorded to date. The best-studied host groups are Erinaceus, Atelerix and Hemiechinus, but even in these groups, only some species of each genera have been examined for helminths. Representatives of the orders Trematoda, Cestoda, Nematoda and Acanthocephala have been recorded from Europe and Africa. In spite of these deficiencies, some biogeographical patterns are discernible. In H. auritus, a significant proportion of known helminths is host-specific while other species exist also in Erinaceus spp and A. algirus. The trematodes include species that are specific to the Erinaceidae, as well as species parasitising other insectivorous hosts. The cestodes occurring in these hedgehogs present adult and larval stages. The nematodes have the highest number of species and are found in the digestive system, lungs, muscles and body cavity. Only one species of adult Acanthocephala parasitises the three host genera. The most cited trematodes are distributed in the south occidental part of the Palearctic. Rodentolepis erinacei (Cestoda) presents a typical European distribution parasitizing E .europaeus and E. concolor, while species of the genus Mathevotaenia are found in North Africa, East Europe and Asia. A similar situation is observed in the nematodes except for Spirura rytipleurites seurati and Pterygodermatites plagiostoma, typically African species that are detected in the Iberian Peninsula. The helminth fauna of hedgehogs provides a tool for studies of the biogeographical relationships of Erinaceidae.

This study was partially supported by the Spanish DIGYCT project 2001SGR00088 and the “Comissionat per Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya” BOS 2000-0570-CO2-01. 
 
 

Italian Hedgehogs: a provisional review. 
L. Lapini* and D. Scaravelli**
*Museo Friulano di Storia naturale, Udine
**Riserva Naturale Orientata e Museo di Onferno, p. Roma 1, 47855 Gemmano (RN), Italy. 
E-mail: rnoonf@tin.it 

The authors outline the status of the genus Erinaceus in Italy and provide a provisional synthesis of our present knowledge. 

The genus Erinaceus has been little studied by Italian zoologists mainly because such research has limited application. Nevertheless, the hedgehogs are excellent models for the study of a variety of naturalistic topics, and there are several reasons to study their natural history in Italy.

· Biogeographical reasons: 
The distribution of living Erinaceidae in the Mediterranean basin is very interesting because of its links to the history and effects of the Pleistocene glaciation.

· Taxonomic purposes: 
The taxonomic differentiation of the genus Erinaceus in southern Europe is poorly known. The Mediterranean basin is certainly inhabited by several species of this genus, but their taxonomic status is still uncertain.

· Ecological interest: 
In north-eastern Italy, Erinaceus europaeus and E. concolor probably live in sympatric or syntopic conditions (Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige). At present there is no information about the overlap of their trophic and spatial niches, about their spatial strategies, demography and dispersal rates.
 

· Anthropological interest: 
Human beings and hedgehogs interrelate in historical times, and this influences their recent natural history. This is particularly true in the Mediterranean basin, where hedgehogs distribution is partially anthropogenic.

· Conservation purposes: 
Studies of hedgehogs can help us to understand the effects of habitat destruction, environment exploitation, chemical and agricultural pollution, and road casualties. We discuss the legal status and the conservation of the hedgehogs in Italy.
 
 

Role of the major GABAA receptor subunits in the evolutionary success of telencephalic regions in Erinaceus europaeus. 
R.M. Facciolo, R. Alò, M. Madeo, A. Carelli and M. Canonaco. 
Comparative Anatomy Lab., Ecology Dept, University of Calabria, 87030 Arcavacata di Rende (CS) Italy. 

Molecular studies have mainly demonstrated that the variety of recombinant GABAA receptors is linked to the assembly of different subunit polypeptides with consequent specific GABAergic activities in the various brain regions of rodents. Among the numerous subunits, a, b and g are considered to be the major ones involved in such neurotransmission activities. Since little has been done on other mammalian orders, it was the intention of this study to evaluate the above subunits in the hedgehog (family Erinaceidae), due to the retention of ancestral brain characteristics as well as being considered a very good model for comparing evolutionary perspectives of cerebral receptor systems in wild animals. Hence, it was the aim of this paper to evaluate the neuroanatomic distribution and cellular expression of some subunit isoforms (a1, a2/3, a5, b2 and g2) in the telencephalic regions of two phylogenetically distant mammals (hedgehog and rat). Quantitative autoradiography, in the presence of a highly selective benzodiazepine agonist (zolpidem), plus emulsion hybridization histochemistry allowed us to detect elevated (p < 0.01) b2 mRNA levels in primitive telencephalic neuronal populations such as those of the glomerular olfactory layer of the hedgehog. Conversely, notable levels of the a1 subunit mRNA were also reported for the giant pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal oriens-pyramidalis layer even though elevated levels were mostly obtained for the rat. A similar pattern was also detected for pyramidal-like cells of the rat lateral amygdala region expressing the g2 subunit mRNA. These results suggest an early phylogenetic success of GABAergic neuronal mechanisms relying mainly on elevated b2 subunit levels. On the other hand, elevated quantities of g2 and, above all, of a1 subunit mRNAs in the rat seem to instead be related to the highly advanced behavioural and mnemonic strategies that are regulated by the above telencephalic regions. In the case of the other a isoforms, it appeared that the hedgehog was mostly characterized by the colocalization of only two a isoforms whereas the rat displayed the three isoforms in the same brain area, especially those belonging to the basal ganglia system. What is interesting is that this subunit assembly occurred strongly in a dimorphic manner placing strong emphasis on the occurrence of regional-dimorphic variations of a1, a2/3, and a5 isoforms, in a species-specific fashion, and so suggesting that the molecular motor mechanisms expressed in specific telencephalic regions, during socio-sexual encounters, are probably not conserved throughout vertebrate phylogeny. 
 
 

Traffic mortality of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus L. 1758) on N-Latium Roads (Central Italy).
M. Moscatelli, and M. Zapparoli
Dip. Protezione delle Piante, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo (Italy)

E. europaeus is one of the commonest mammals to be found dead on the road in Europe, and in order to promote habitat defragmentation policies, increasing attention has recently been paid to the general problem of animals killed by traffic. Within the context of traffic impact on the wildlife fauna in N-Latium and adjoining areas (Central Italy), preliminary results on hedgehog road mortality are reported and discussed. The aim of this paper is to present data on the number of traffic victims, their spatial and seasonal distribution, to identify a possible relationship between casualty rates and neighbouring habitats; to recognise “bottlenecks” (sites with a high concentration of hedgehogs victims within a few kilometres) along the roads. Five sections (S. 1-5) of two-lane state and provincial roads (S.1 = Farnese-Pitigliano-Latera-Valentano, 56.2 km; S.2 = Grotte di Castro-Acquapendente-S. Lorenzo Nuovo-Grotte di Castro, 37.7 km; S.3 = Viterbo-Ronciglione, 18.0 km; S.4 = Viterbo-Tuscania-Montalto di Castro, 48.2 km; S.5 = SS 204 Viterbo-Orte, 27.8 km; tot. 187.9 km) have been investigated by car (mean speed 50 km/h) fortnightly (round trip) for one year (May 2000 - June 2001). About 4509.6 km have been sampled in all. The main results are summarised as follows: a total of 107 hedgehog road-kills have been recorded, accounting for an average of 75.3 % of all wild mammals casualties and an average of 33.6% of casualties of all wild vertebrate taxa. Number of individuals/km/year range from 0.23 (S. 2) to 0.89 (S. 5), with 0.62 on average among the five sections analysed. Killed hedgehogs have been observed in all months of the year, with a peak in August and a minimum in January. Only one bottleneck seems to be recognisable along the S. 4, in a rural area 5 km W to Tuscania, with 2.4 ind./km/year was found. A comparative table of studies on hedgehog traffic victims carried out in Italy is presented.
 
 

The Italian Roads and Fauna Safety Project
M. Dinetti
LIPU – Settore Ecologia Urbana, Via Trento, 49 – 43100 PARMA. E-mail robin.marco@tiscalinet.it

The “Roads and Fauna Safety” project is carried out by LIPU/BirdLife Italy and financed by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport – Ispettorato Generale per la Circolazione e la Sicurezza Stradale.

In this phase of the project the following are in production:

• an education and information leaflet;
• a report on the current developments in Italy regarding the topic of infrastructure and biodiversity;
• an international review of the available bibliography.

Prevalence of Salmonella typhimurium infection in Norwegian hedgehog populations and possible association with two human disease outbreaks
K. Handeland, T. Refsum, B.S. Johansen*, G. Holstad, G. Knutsen, I. Solberg, J. Schulze, and G. Kapperud.
*Steinsssvn 20B, 4800 Arendal, Norway beate@ehrg.org 

This project was initiated to investigate hedgehogs as a possible reservoir in two outbreaks of human salmonellosis in Norway. During 1997 to 2000, 320 hedgehog faecal samples were collected from four main regions in Norway. The sampling in the south-eastern region was carried out one year after a human outbreak of salmonellosis, whereas the sampling in the central-western region was carried out during a human outbreak. In two control areas (south-western and central Norway) with no human salmonella outbreaks, no salmonella infected hedgehogs were found. Thirty-nine percent (39/99) of the animals sampled in the south-eastern region, and 41% (34/82) of those from the central-western region, carried S. typhimurium 4,5,12:i:1,2. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles of the isolates from hedgehogs and human beings were identical within each of the two outbreak areas. A significantly higher carrier rate of S. typhimurium occurred among hedgehogs sampled at feeding places, compared those caught elsewhere. The salmonella-infected hedgehog populations were most likely to be the primary source of infection during both of the human disease outbreaks, but it is unknown how the hedgehogs got the Salmonella-infection in the first place. We suggest that the Norwegian hedgehog is a reservoir host of S. typhimurium 4,5,12:i:1,2. 

Ref:
Handeland, K., Refsum, T., Johansen, B.S., Holstad, G., Knutsen, G., Solberg, I., Schulze, J. & Kapperud,G. Prevalence of Salmonella typhimurium infection in Norwegian hedgehog populations associated with two human disease outbreaks. Epidemiology and Infection 2002 (in press).
 
 

A survey of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) population in Oslo 2000-2001
B.S. Johansen*, Å.Ø., Pedersen, and K. Sandaas
*Steinsssvn 20B, 4800 Arendal, Norway beate@ehrg.org 
 

In a period of rapid development and expansion, the municipality of Oslo, Norway, has experienced a corresponding decrease in area of gardens, fields and forest elements available for urban wildlife habitat. In autumn 2000, the local wildlife authorities engaged the media for a survey of the hedgehog population where citizens were urged to report their observations as part of the urban wildlife-mapping project. This resulted in 70 reports, mainly from the eastern part of the city, and none from the city centre near the Oslo Fjord. A renewed effort to collect more observations from the western part of the city took place through a newspaper article in February 2002. This resulted in only a few new reports. Most people claim that the hedgehog population has decreased in the last 40 years. Even though large fluctuations on the northern border of the species distribution area may be expected, the apparent decrease may be due to increased traffic death and less suitable habitat. Unless specific measures are taken, the loss of habitat suitable for hedgehogs in Oslo will limit a future potential increase in their numbers.
 
 

Home range of Erinaceus europaeus italicus in organic and conventionally managed agricultural land in Northern Italy.
D. Scaravelli and C. Altamore
Riserva Naturale Orientata e Museo di Onferno, p. Roma 1, 47855 Gemmano (RN), Italy. E-mail: rnoonf@tin.it 

A study was started in 1999 on the ecology of Erinaceus europaeus italicus in agricultural areas near Forlì, in Romagna region, northern Italy. Knowledge about this common species is still poor for this country and the study aimed to explore the relationship between the hedgehogs and the differently managed agricultural areas.
Forlì -Cesena Province is located between 43°44’ and 44°20’ latitude North and between 0°48’ longitude West and 0°18’ longitude East of Monte Mario. It is the southern-east end of the Po Plain between the Apennines and the Adriatic sea.

The area is a mosaic of different environments with a sub-continental climate, along the river Ronco valley. Two estates were compared: a biologically-managed one of around 20 Ha and a second one of around 30 Ha with conventional weed and insect control.
Radiotracking was conducted using different small (4-8 g) transmitters glued to the quills of 5 hedgehogs and a Wildlife Materials TRX 1000 receiver. The animals were also equipped with chemical light to follow them in the early hours of the night

Using ArcView G.I.S. we created maps to show land use. The home ranges were calculated by minimum convex polygon and core area using Kernel’s distance method.
The home ranges calculated for the “conventional” farm were 15.934 Ha for a male and for two females 7.755 and 4.609 Ha respectively.

In the biologically-managed farm the female had a 3.698 Ha home range and the male covered only 1.393 Ha. Also an experiment in which an individual was followed for a whole night showed a mean speed of 4.44 m/min. with a peak of 0.83 km/h. The most represented speed classes were that between 2.5 m/min. and 6.5 m/min during a trial of around 2400 m conducted over 10.40 hours.

All the hedgehogs found during the night census were marked and a relative density was calculated for the two areas. The density in the biologically-managed farm was 0.95 hedgehog/Ha and in the conventional farm was 0.85 hedgehog/Ha. The population appeared to be more stable in the biologically-managed farm where all the main age classes were found. Only adults were found foraging in the conventionally-managed area. The biological farm seems to offer a richer environment, as indicated by the smaller home range. 
 
 

Hedgehog mortality along an ecological and altitudinal road transect in Calabria (Southern Italy)
G.Aloise * & D. Scaravelli **
*Dip. di Ecologia, Università della Calabria. Via P. Bucci s.n., I-87036 Rende (CS), Italy. aloise@unical.it 
** Riserva Naturale Orientata e Museo di Onferno, p. Roma 1, 47855 Gemmano (RN), Italy. E-mail: rnoonf@tin.it 

Erinaceus europaeus L. is a widespread and common species in Calabria, the southernmost region of continental Italy, and it is one of the commonest animal road victims. For a year (January - December 2001) a 37 km road transect was checked 8-22 times per month (mean 17.6) for dead hedgehogs. The transect ran from from west to east across the mountain ridge of Catena Costiera reaching 730 m above sea level (a.s.l.) and then falling to 230 m a.s.l. in the central Valley. The route is surrounded by different environments: urban suburbs, fields, fallows, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus prairies and woods dominated either by Quercus virgiliana, Q. cerris, Castanea sativa or Fagus sylvatica. 
 91 specimens were sighted in total, 85.71% of which were found on the coastal slope up to 630 m a.s.l. On the continental slope only 14.29% of the hedgehogs were found and at not more than 530 m a.s.l. in the Q. cerris and Fagus sylvatica woods. The differences in hedgehogs/km between the two slopes are significantly different.
Most casualties were found in spring (41.76 %) followed by summer (32.97 %), winter (16.48 %) and the least in autumn (8.79 %). The months with the greatest number of recorded dead hedgehogs/km were: August (1.13), July (0.94), March (0.84) and June (0.81). 
  39% of the casualties found were young, with an increasing trend from autumn to winter when they represented 75% of the casualties. The distribution of dead animals is analysed in relation to environmental characteristics.
 
 

Hand rearing hoglets – the early days
J. Peto
Newark, Nottinghamshire UK – e-mail:ehrg,members@virgin.net

Hand rearing of small hoglets (0-5 days old) is not difficult but depends how they are treated within the first few hours.

When a call is received relating to small hoglets it is important that a few instructions are given immediately. Do not to handle with bare hands (soft tissue or clean soft cotton). Place in a small box lined with very soft material with something to keep the hoglets warm, a small plastic drinks bottle with a screw top, filled with hot water wrapped in soft material. Keep away from noise. The hoglets should be transported or picked up as soon as possible. 

Only handle the hoglets with gloves on. When they have pink skin (4-20 gms) their skin is delicate. 

On arrival place hoglet on a warm heatpad (Challoner Marketing Ltd) and try to keep it on the pad as much as possible. The first thing is to stimulate them to ensure that the bladder and bowel are empty and comfortable. Any faeces passed should be kept for examination. Using cotton-wool and baby oil clean the hoglet all over, in movements like a hedgehogs tongue, this not only cleans the hoglets but stimulates the internal organs and helps the blood to circulate. While you are doing this, the hoglet can be examined well, treating any wound, removing fly-eggs, maggots, etc. 

Then weigh the hoglet and complete a patient record sheet to ensure a complete record on the animal while it is in care. 

Most hoglets are dehydrated on arrival but too cold and frightened to feed. I do not attempt to feed on arrival but inject s/cut warm fluids (Hartmann’s Solution No. 18) using a fine needle, leave for two hours to recover and get warm. 

Feeding – I use Esbilac Milk Replacers (PetAg) it is available in two forms;

Liquid Milk – 3 parts Esbilac Liquid Milk; 1 part Hartmann’s Solution (No. 18); and 1 part goats colostrum or Kitten Colostrum Substitute (Net-tex Limited). I change the Hartmann’s Solution to cold boiled water if they become too active. 
Powdered Milk – 1 part Esbilac Powder; 2 parts warm water. If the hoglet comes into your care and goes straight on to Esbilac Powder, I make it up with Hartmann’s Solution warmed, instead of warm water for the first 24 hours. According to the age of the hoglet up to 21 days, I add 1 part colostrum.. 

Make up enough feed for a complete day and add for the first 48 hours 0.5 ml of Cat Breeders Nutri-drops (Net-Tex Limited). Feed all hoglets regularly for the first 24 hours of care including all through the night. After 24 hours they can be left (see below):

04-20 gms 0.5ml - every 2-3 hours - 6 hours overnight
20-30 gms 0.7ml - every 2-3 hours - 6.5 hours over night
30-50 gms 1.0ml - every 4-5 hours - 7 hours overnight
50-100 gms 2.0ml - every 4-5 hours - 8 hours overnight 

Remember feeds should be blood warm. Usually hoglets are hand reared by feeding in a hand, lying on their back, this is unnatural, they suckle lying on their stomach and therefore this should be copied using a short teat (Catac). Keeping the hoglet flat on the heatpad, with a gloved hand lightly cupped over it, with a finger and thumb either side of its head to guide it to the teat. Allow the feed to slowly go into the mouth, do not flood the mouth, if you do by accident immediately take out the teat, allow the feed to drain out of the mouth by holding the hoglet with his head slightly down. Always follow the same feeding routine – pick up, weigh it, stimulate, feed, wash, stimulate again, wash again. put back, cover and leave to rest undisturbed until the next feed. If hoglets are not putting on weight try getting an extra feed in during the day.

I only start to wean once the first tooth buds show, I use liquidized kitten food or Spikes Dinner (Spike’s Place Limited) mixing it in very small amounts in the feed and slowly increasing it every other day. I also find that small biscuits – Dried Spike’s Dinner or a good chicken and rice cat biscuit, hoglets use them to bring on their teeth. 

Reference: 
Catac – www.catac.co.uk 
Challoner Marketing Ltd – www.challonermarketing.com 
Net-Tex Ltd – www.net-tex.co.uk 
PetAg – www.petag.co 
Spikes Place – marion@spikesite.co.uk 
Dermisol Cream (Pfizer Animal Health) and Hartmann’s Solution (Animalcare Limited) only available through a Veterinary Surgeon.
 
 

Effect – evaluation of persistent pollutants on the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus L.) by means of non-destructive biomarkers and population-ecological parameters
1,2) H. D’Havé, 1) W. De Coen, 2) J. Scheirs, 2) R. Verhagen, 1) R. Blust 
3) A. Covaci
1) Lab. Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology, University of Antwerp (RUCA), 
   Groenenborgerlaan 171 (U 708), B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium hdhave@ruca.ua.ac.be 
2) Evolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp (RUCA), 
3) Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp (UIA)

In ecotoxicological research there is a lack of relevant terrestrial indicator species among higher vertebrates. If ecotoxicological research is conducted on higher vertebrates, the research is often too limited. There’s a lack of research on the effects, both on a molecular (biomarkers) and a higher level (population) of biological organisation. On the other hand, the methods used are mostly destructive, animals being killed to obtain the organs.
Hedgehogs have some characteristics which make them possibly very suitable to conduct research on the effects of persistent pollutants. Also, virtually nothing is known of the effects of persistent pollutants (heavy metals and organochlorines are the target of this project) on these organisms.
In this project we will investigate six populations in a pollution gradient. Two populations are situated in an extremely polluted site in Antwerp (Belgium), two more populations are situated some 5-6 Km east of this site, while two reference populations are some 20-30 Km away of the heavily polluted site. All populations will be followed by means of tagging. The reproduction of some females will be investigated; the young will be followed up.
Blood samples will be obtained three times a year. The blood will be analysed for heavy metals, organochlorines, and some biomarkers. The aim of this study is to investigate whether persistent pollutants have a possible effect on the lower and higher (reproduction, winter survival, ..) levels of biological organisation of hedgehog populations.
 
 

Prickly medicine: a few physiological and therapeutic peculiarities of a “spiny” patient
S. Pesaro*, Ressel L.** & P. Zucca***
*Via S.Benedetto,2-34100 Trieste;** Via Bertani, 1-50100 Firenze;***Laboratorio di Psicologia Animale Comparata e Neuroscienze, Università degli Studi Trieste

The cultural evolution of the hedgehog has not kept up with the increase of anthropogenic pressures on the environment. Very often, these animals reach the veterinary surgeon or the recovery centres with pathologies due to man’s direct or indirect actions. However, many of these animals are only in need of simple therapies and after a short period of time they can be re-introduced to the wild. In order to carry out a diagnosis, it is of primary importance that the veterinarian is acquainted with some peculiarities of this little insectivorous mammal. Like most mammals, except man, this is an olfactory animal. Also his “vomeronasaL” organ, responsible for the reception of the pheromones, is well developed and functional. Hearing is another sense very well developed in this species and during the medical visit or manipulation, disturbing sounds must be avoided. From the social point of view, these are solitary animals except during the reproductive period, therefore they must be kept in separate cages. The mortality rate of the young during the winter period can reach 80%; it is important not to release to the wild subjects with a weight of 400g or lower since they could not survive the winter. Some hedgehog pathologies are quite frequent and among them we must remember in particular: internal and external parasites, dental pathologies, salmonellosis, traumatic injuries, bacterial, parasitical and mycotic dermatitis, hepatic decline, neoplasia with high and dangerous carcinoma in subjects with more than 3 years of age, respiratory diseases, infestation of blow fly larvae (maggots), poisoning, and burns. For each one of these pathologies there are certain known and experimented therapeutic protocols. For this reason it is very wrong to extrapolate the dosing and the method of giving medicines from the medicines for dogs and cats. Lastly, because they are wild animals, only healthy subjects, able to hunt independently for their food,.should be released back to nature.