Comparative diet of hedgehogs (Atelerix algirus) in two localities in Kabylia, Algeria

Authors : Dalila DJENNOUNE, Faiza MARNICHE, Mansour AMROUN, Raphaël BOULAY

Pages : 207-217

View : 17 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The present study is the first qualitative and quantitative analysis of the diet of Algerian hedgehogs insert ignore into journalissuearticles values( Atelerix algirus ); in Kabylia, Algeria. The study was carried out between May and October 2014 and covered two different sites, Yakouren insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(a forested site); and Tizi-Rached insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(an agricultural site);. In Yakouren, the analysis of droppings allowed us to identify 12,050 items grouped into 16 categories of eaten preys, while in Tizi-Rached, 13,543 items grouped into 13 categories of preys were identified. In both locations, the Hymenoptera category is the most eaten type of prey at a rate of 93% in Yakouren and 98% in Tizi-Rached. Moreover, the seasonal variation, the food selectivity, and comparative studies of the consumed categories between the two sites were analyzed in this study. In the Hymenoptera category, 99% of the consumed preys at both sites belonged to the family Formicidae. A deeper investigation revealed that 13 species were in that family in Yakouren and 11 species in Tizi-Rached. The species most consumed by the hedgehogs at both sites are Messor spp. at a rate of 49% in Yakouren and 91% in Tizi-Rached. In order to analyze the preference for some prey, a biochemical analysis of the energy intake was performed and discussed.
Keywords : Diet, hedgehog, Atelerix algirus, food selectivity, seasonal variations, energy intake