Reappraisal of an old cheap method for marking the European hedgehog

摘要: Marking quilled animals for individual recognition may be challenging. This is particularly true European hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus, whose defense mechanism involves the concealment of muzzle and underparts. Heat-shrink tubes have been widely used to mark quills, but they do not adapt morphological structure spines are rapidly lost, thus reducing method effectiveness. We adapted a cheap ethical crested porcupine which use colored adhesive tapes applied quills. The retention period this marking technique lasts up 9 months, allowing short-term field studies possibly dispersal distances measurements. could improved by doubling number marked reapplying tape at every recapture event. Moreover, code can obtained subdividing body hedgehog into six areas, increase possibilities, through combination colors areas.