Southern White-breasted Hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor) lives in temperate forests across Southeastern Europe and Asia. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Southern White-breasted Hedgehog
- A white spot on its chest sets the southern white-breasted hedgehog apart from the otherwise similar European hedgehog. This distinctive marking makes field identification straightforward, especially since the species otherwise looks like the European hedgehog. Adults weigh between 680 and 900 g, staying above 600 g even during hibernation, so size and colour together aid researchers in the wild.
- Unlike its European counterpart, the southern white-breasted hedgehog never digs a den. Instead it makes use of existing cover such as leaf litter or fallen branches, relying on the environment rather than excavating its own shelter. It prefers building grass nests in secluded places, which it places in habitats ranging from deciduous forests to parks and gardens.
- Instead of burrows, it constructs a concealed nest of grass in secluded spots. The hedgehog never digs a den, opting to use existing cover and then line it with gathered grass.
- The southern white-breasted hedgehog adds toxic beetles to its menu without suffering any ill effects, thanks to a physiological immunity to the insects' poisons. Its broader diet is dominated by insects, slugs, snails and worms, which it hunts in deciduous forests, parks and gardens. By safely consuming these poisonous beetles, the hedgehog can exploit a food source that many other predators avoid, giving it a nutritional edge during the active months.
- A 2016 survey of southern white-breasted hedgehogs revealed Bartonella bacteria in five of the 57 individuals examined, marking the first documented presence of Bartonella DNA in any hedgehog species. This finding highlighted the potential for these animals to carry zoonotic pathogens, especially as they become more common as exotic pets.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSoutheastern Europe and Asia
HabitatTemperate forests
DietInsects & fruits
About the Southern White-breasted Hedgehog
In the warm, golden light of a Mediterranean dusk, the Southern White-breasted Hedgehog emerges, its spiny coat glistening like a delicate lacework as it moves with quiet purpose through the underbrush. With a gentle rustle of leaves, it navigates the dense thicket, its sensitive snout twitching as it snuffles out the hidden treasures of the forest floor, its tiny paws barely making a sound on the dry earth. As it forages, its unique, porcupine-like quills bristle and relax in a mesmerizing rhythm, a testament to the remarkable adaptability of this small, yet fiercely resilient creature.
Hear the Southern White-breasted Hedgehog, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
