Northern white-breasted hedgehog

About

Everyone knows the hedgehog, but few know that in Ukraine, particularly in the Carpathians, lives not the Western European hedgehog, but a separate species — the Northern white-breasted hedgehog. Previously, all our hedgehogs were classified as the European hedgehog, but later zoologists proved that the Eastern European populations belong to another species. The Northern white-breasted hedgehog is widespread in Central and Eastern Europe, from the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the Balkans.

The animal is up to 35 cm long and weighs up to 1 kg. It differs from its Western relative in coloration: the head and sides are dark brown, noticeably darker than the throat and belly, the spines are chocolate brown, and on the chest, there is a wide white spot, which gave the species its name. Externally, these two hedgehogs are very similar.

The Northern white-breasted hedgehog lives in the edges of deciduous forests, in ravines and gullies, forest belts, and along canal banks, and in villages, it willingly visits gardens and vegetable patches. It is active at night. It feeds on insects, worms, slugs, as well as small vertebrates — lizards, mice, bird eggs — and does not shy away from carrion. It builds a nest only for the duration of winter hibernation.

Hedgehogs often hunt along roads because insects are attracted there by the warmth of the asphalt and the light of car headlights. Because of this, they are killed under wheels: studies of the roads in Zakarpattia showed that hedgehogs rank first among all animals that fall victim to transport. Therefore, in the evening, it is advisable to drive more slowly on rural roads. The Northern white-breasted hedgehog is not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries

Czechia · Romania · Ukraine · Hungary · Slovakia · Poland · Serbia

Mountain ranges

White Carpathians, Buzău Mountains, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Protection and rules

Not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ