Modern Records of the European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus, Erinaceidae, Eulipotyphla) in Southeastern Fennoscandia.

Southeastern Fennoscandia, which encompasses the Republic of Karelia and the adjacent districts of Leningrad and Arkhangelsk oblasts, until lately remained an area of Russia's European North especially poorly studied as regards the status of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Modern (2001–2022) records of this species obtained through the authors' original observations and based on reports received from respondents, altogether covering 212 hedgehogs and 182 encounters, are analyzed. The spatio-temporal patterns in the records of this species in the region are demonstrated; that is, there are an expanding distribution area and a growing frequency of encounters from northwest to southeast. The northernmost records are shown (64.368° N, 30.383° E), including yearlings (63.624°–63.924° N, 30.466°–30.901° E, northern taiga subzone), as well as the first reports of the species east of Lake Onega in both Karelia and Arkhangelsk oblast. Studies have revealed the habitat preferences and the rate of use of urban territories in the northern part of the distribution range: high shares of records come from deciduous (34.0% of the total number of animals reported) and mixed (19.3%) forest sites, as well as farmland (10.8%), second-home communities (16.5%), and rural settlements (9.0%). Hedgehog encounters in cut-over places, pine and spruce stands, wetlands, abandoned hamlets, and solitary buildings in the woods were few (0.5–6.1%). Most of the records were a result of accidental sightings by humans (80.8%), while domestic dogs spotted 19.2% of the hedgehogs. The earliest encounters in spring were recorded from April 25 to May 11, the latest sightings in autumn were from September 2 to September 17. The number of hedgehog encounters during their active life period was the lowest in April (1.1%), growing sharply in May and June (16.7 and 17.8%, respectively), peaking in July and August (30.0 and 24.4%), and falling sharply in September (10.0%). Some of the population parameters were determined: the average brood was 2.8 young of the year, the share of which amounted to 24.5% of the total number of records. Active single animals prevailed among adults (86.3%), and much smaller shares belonged to active pairs (7.6%) and females with litters (6.1%). The main cause of death was road killing by vehicles (77.4%). Climate warming and alterations in the forest structure may be reasons to expect further expansions of the area of hedgehog encounters, e.g., to transformed and urbanized boreal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]