From Leaves to Litter: Use of Anthropogenic Nesting Materials in Hibernation Nests of the European Hedgehog.

Urbanization and human population growth have significantly increased the presence of anthropogenic materials in natural environments, prompting growing interest in how wildlife may be adapting to these changes. One such behavioral response is the incorporation of anthropogenic materials into animal nests, a phenomenon that has raised concerns due to its potential harmful effects, such as entanglement or ingestion. While this behavior has been documented widely in birds, it remains underreported in other taxa, partly due to the difficulty of locating nests. In this study, we describe multiple instances of anthropogenic materials (including plastic) being incorporated into the hibernation nests of European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus. Four nests were dissected, of which two nests contained anthropogenic materials, including a plastic bag, foil and expanded polystyrene. These findings suggest that hedgehogs may opportunistically use available anthropogenic materials in nest construction, potentially as a response to urban environments. Our findings help broaden the understanding of mammalian responses to urbanization and emphasize the need to investigate whether the incorporation of these materials is likely to be harmful or adaptive to hedgehogs and for mammals generally.