Plastic Entanglement Poses a Potential Hazard to European Hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus in Great Britain

Microplastics and phthalate esters contamination in top oceanic predators: A study on multiple shark species in the Pacific Ocean

Marine organisms, especially top predators such as sharks, are susceptible to environmental pollutants like microplastics (MPs) and phthalate esters (PAEs), leading to ecosystem risks. Research on contamination in these apex species is, however, still limited. This study investigated MPs and PAEs in multiple shark species (Isurus oxyrinchus, Alopias superciliosus, Alopias pelagicus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, and Sphyrna zygaena) off Taiwan's eastern coast. Gastric tissue analyses revealed ubiquitous microplastics (2-31 particles), which positively correlated with body lengths and weights for Isurus oxyrinchus. Blue, fiber-shaped (1-2 mm), and rayon-based MPs are likely associated with textile fiber pollution. The PAEs concentration mean was 7035 ± 6829 ng/g, ww, having DEHP and DiNP as primary compounds. This study highlights pervasive contamination in Pacific Ocean sharks, emphasizing anthropogenic impact on top oceanic predators and providing essential insights for food safety and MP accumulation.

Causes of Admission, Mortality and Pathological Findings in European Hedgehogs: Reports from Two University Centers in Italy and Switzerland

European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are nocturnal insectivores frequently found in urban areas. In the last decades, their population has declined in various European countries and human activities have emerged as significant contributors to this trend. While the literature has mainly focused on trauma as the major cause of mortality, few authors have considered pathological findings. The present study is based on the results of full post-mortem examinations performed on 162 European hedgehogs in Italy and 109 in Switzerland. Unlike in previous studies, the main cause of mortality was infectious diseases (60.5%), followed by traumatic insults (27.7%). The lungs were the main organ affected, showing mostly lymphoplasmacytic (45.9%), granulomatous (18.1%) or suppurative (8.2%) pneumonia. Nematodes were detected in 57.2% of all lungs and were significantly associated with pneumonia (p-value < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first study to report infectious diseases as the main cause of hedgehog death, emphasizing the need for wildlife rescue centers to adopt appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Further research is necessary to determine the broad range of infectious agents that affect this species and elucidate their interplay with the host. Finally, citizen sensitization should be implemented to promote responsible behaviors that could reduce human-related traumatic events.

Occurrence and Characteristics of Cut Injuries in Hedgehogs in Germany: A Collection of Individual Cases

The number of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) is in long-term decline across Europe. Recently, an additional threat to hedgehogs' lives has been cutting injuries caused by garden care equipment, but to date, there have been no reliable data on their spatial and temporal occurrence as well as characteristics such as mortality rate. Usually, found injured hedgehogs are admitted to care centres. In this study, data on hedgehogs with cutting injuries were collected from care centres throughout Germany. Over a period of 16 months, data on a total of 370 hedgehogs with cut injuries were reported by 71 care centres. At least 60% of these hedgehogs were found more than 12 h after the accident and at least 47% did not survive as a result of the injury. The comparatively high mortality rate coupled with a possible high number of unreported cases of hedgehogs with laceration injuries show that these accidents pose an additional, serious danger to hedgehogs, both impacting the welfare of individual animals and having a broader effect on the conservation potential of this species. Moreover, the data collected objectify the current discussion on the need for possible technical or political solutions to prevent such injuries.