Erinaceus europaeus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	EULIPOTYPHLA	ERINACEIDAE

Scientific Name:

Erinaceus europaeus

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English	–	Northern Hedgehog, Western European Hedgehog, Western Hedgehog
French	–	Hérisson d'Europe occidentale
Spanish	–	Erizo Europeo Occidental

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	Amori, G., Hutterer, R., Kryštufek, B., Yigit, N., Mitsain, G. & Palomo, L.J.
Reviewer/s:	Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Temple, H. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)
Contributor/s:
Justification: This species is common and abundant throughout its wide range. Consequently it is considered to be Least Concern.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Erinaceus europaeus is endemic to Europe (including European Russia), with a global distribution extending from the British Isles and the Iberian peninsula, westwards through much of western to central Europe; and from southern Fennoscandia, and the northern Baltic to north-west Russia. It was introduced recently to the Azores (Portugal); the species was recorded there in the 1990s (R. Hutterer pers. comm. 2007). In the Mediterranean, it occurs in Portugal, France (including Corsica), Spain and Italy (including Sardinia and Sicily but not present on Malta).
Countries:	Native: Austria; Belgium; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Russian Federation; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom Introduced: New Zealand
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This generally is a relatively common and widespread species. It is rare in Sardinia (Italy), where it is hunted with dogs (R. Hutterer pers. comm. 2007). The is no evidence of any population decline in most parts of its range. Many of the island populations have been introduced there from the mainland (R. Hutterer pers. comm. 2007).
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	E. europaeus thrives in a variety of man-made habitats including orchards, vineyards, farmland, parks and gardens, including those in urban areas. It also occurs in deciduous woodland, woodland edge and grasslands, although it is less common in these areas (Lapini 1999). Also occurs in maquis (R. Hutterer pers. comm. 2007).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species across most of its range. In some areas, many hedgehogs are killed by collision with cars, but this is unlikely to cause serious population declines (Huijser 1999, Verkem et al. 2003). It is locally hunted and eaten in parts of its range, but this is a localised activity and is also not considered a serious threat to the species.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species across most of its range. In some areas, many hedgehogs are killed by collision with cars, but this is unlikely to cause serious population declines (Huijser 1999, Verkem et al. 2003). It is locally hunted and eaten in parts of its range, but this is a localised activity and is also not considered a serious threat to the species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention. It occurs in a number of protected areas throughout its wide range. It is also legally protected in many countries within its range.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention. It occurs in a number of protected areas throughout its wide range. It is also legally protected in many countries within its range.

Bibliography [top]

	Huijser, M. P. 1999. Human impact on populations of hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus through traffic and changes in the landscape: a review. Lutra 42: 39-56. IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008). Lapini, L. 1999. Erinaceus europaeus. In: A. J. Mitchell-Jones, G. Amori, W. Bogdanowicz, B. Kryštufek, P. J. H. Reijnders, F. Spitzenberger, M. Stubbe, J. B. M. Thissen, V. Vohralík, and J. Zima (eds), The Atlas of European Mammals, Academic Press, London, UK. Verkem, S., De Maeseneer, J., Vandenddriessche, B., Verbeylen, G. and Yskout, S. 2003. Zoogdieren in Vlaanderen. Ecologie en verspreiding van 1987 tot 2002. Mechelen & Gent, België.

Huijser, M. P. 1999. Human impact on populations of hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus through traffic and changes in the landscape: a review. Lutra 42: 39-56.

IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008).

Lapini, L. 1999. Erinaceus europaeus. In: A. J. Mitchell-Jones, G. Amori, W. Bogdanowicz, B. Kryštufek, P. J. H. Reijnders, F. Spitzenberger, M. Stubbe, J. B. M. Thissen, V. Vohralík, and J. Zima (eds), The Atlas of European Mammals, Academic Press, London, UK.

Verkem, S., De Maeseneer, J., Vandenddriessche, B., Verbeylen, G. and Yskout, S. 2003. Zoogdieren in Vlaanderen. Ecologie en verspreiding van 1987 tot 2002. Mechelen & Gent, België.

Citation:	Amori, G., Hutterer, R., Kryštufek, B., Yigit, N., Mitsain, G. & Palomo, L.J. 2008. Erinaceus europaeus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 May 2013.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided