The world’s longest-lived common hedgehog lived eight times longer than normal. Specifically, the small mammal lived in Denmark at least 16 yearsa very unusual age because only these animals They usually live an average of two years..
Despite their thorns and timid character, chubby bodies and affectionate faces, hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) They won the loyalty of the people. Nevertheless, Populations of this species continue to decline significantly.
According to a recent study by the British Hedgehog Conservation Society, In the UK, urban populations of this animal have declined by 30% and rural populations by up to 50% since the turn of the century..
Out of the need to know the plight of hedgehogs, the ‘Danish Hedgehog Project’ was born. a study citizen science The population was asked to collect dead sea urchins for later evaluation in the laboratory.
Tried to find investigation age And causes of death. Obtained by counting the age of dead sea urchins. chin growth linesa method similar to counting the growth rings in trees.
The hedgehog’s jawbones show growth lines because their metabolism slows down when they hibernate, which suddenly lowers your calcium level. This causes bone growth to slow down significantly or even to stop altogether. As a result, growth lines are produced, in which it is possible to count the times when the animal hibernates, and therefore its age.
Biggest enemies, cars
With the help of over 400 volunteers, 697 dead hedgehogs were collected across Denmark, almost split between urban and rural areas.
The results, published in the journal Animals, The biggest enemies of these animals are cars.. More than half (56%) of hedgehogs died while crossing the street.. 22% did this on a vet stretcher (for example, after a dog attack) and 22% died of natural causes.
Although the researchers found several long-lived individuals aged 16, 13, and 11, The average lifespan of hedgehogs is only two years.. Almost one-third (30%) of the samples examined died before reaching the age of one.
“Although we see a high proportion of individuals dying at just one year of age, our data are also encouraging, because if individuals survive this early stage of life, they can potentially live to age 16 and reproduce for several years.” Sophie Lund Rasmussen, researcher and project coordinator at Oxford University.
This may be the reason hedgehog gain more experience about life –and about safe places to go– as you get older. “If they survive to age two or more, it’s probably because they’ve learned to avoid dangers like cars and predators,” Lund insists.
Men live longer than women
The researcher also confirmed male hedgehogs live longer than females (2.1 vs 1.6 years or 24% more), a rare feature in mammals.
“It’s probably because it’s easier to be born a male hedgehog,” Lund says. hedgehogs are not territorialThis means that males rarely fight, while females have to raise their young alone.
However, also Most men die in traffic accidents. According to the research, this may be related to the fact that men move in larger areas. regions are also more likely to contain a road.
Path kills by jumping in July, which coincides with mating season. “They often walk long distances and cross more roads to find a mate,” says the researcher.
The researchers also took samples of their tissues to check. degree of kinshipBecause there was a possibility of being a factor in the transmission of life-threatening diseases from generation to generation.
It is indeed confirmed hedgehogs were highly inbred, but this did not change their lifespan. “Often, as it is an endangered species, it becomes increasingly difficult to select suitable mates,” Lund notes.
“This is a quite revolutionary discovery and very positive news in terms of protection,” the researcher confirms.
Reference report: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/626
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