# Northern White-breasted Hedgehog

*Erinaceus roumanicus*

Unlike the Western European hedgehog, the Northern White-breasted species rarely digs burrows, preferring to build its nests out of dry leaves and grass in hidden above-ground hollows.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Eulipotyphla › Erinaceidae › Erinaceus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous forest edges, scrublands, grasslands, agricultural fields, and urban gardens.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous, primarily consuming insects, earthworms, slugs, snails, small amphibians, and occasional fallen fruit.
- **Range:** Eastern Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Russia, Western Asia
- **Size:** Length: 20-35 cm; Weight: 600-1200 g
- **Lifespan:** 3 to 6 years
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Road mortality, habitat fragmentation, pesticide use reducing prey populations, and hazards in suburban gardens.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless but defensive. If encountered, keep a safe distance of 2 meters to avoid causing the animal to curl into a defensive ball. Do not touch with bare hands, as their spines are sharp and can harbor ticks, fleas, or fungal spores. If pricked or bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, and seek medical attention if infection develops.

## About

The northern white-breasted hedgehog ( Erinaceus roumanicus ) is a species of hedgehog.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/f3e954af-460e-49c5-9437-2b1f3fdb24ac
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/43048
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erinaceus roumanicus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/555037740/medium.jpg (Radu Teodoreanu, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.