{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T18:56:51Z","timestamp":1772132211532,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,30]],"date-time":"2020-07-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1596067200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study aimed to analyze the admission causes, outcomes, primary causes of death, and main lesions observed in the post mortem examinations of Western European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758), in the north of Portugal. The data were obtained by consulting the records from the two main wildlife rehabilitation centers located in the north of Portugal (Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Parque Biologico de Gaia and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of the University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro). Over 17 years (2002\u20132019) a total of 740 animals were admitted. Most of the animals were juveniles, with the highest number of admissions occurring during summer (36.8%) and spring (33.2%). The main reasons for admission were debilitation (30.7%) and random finds (28.4%). Of the total number of individuals admitted to these centers, 66.6% were successfully released back into the wild. The most relevant causes of death were trauma of unknown origin (32.7%), nontrauma causes of unknown origin (26.6%), and nutritional disorders (20.2%). The main lesions observed were related to trauma, including skeletal and skin lesions (fractures, hemorrhages, wounds) and organ damage, particularly to the lungs and liver. The hedgehog is a highly resilient and adaptable animal. The urban environment has many benefits for hedgehogs, yet the presence of humans can be harmful. In the future, the public needs to become even more involved in the activities of the wildlife centres, which will make a positive difference for these populations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10081305","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,30]],"date-time":"2020-07-30T12:15:38Z","timestamp":1596111338000},"page":"1305","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":32,"title":["Outcomes, Mortality Causes, and Pathological Findings in European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus, Linnaeus 1758): A Seventeen Year Retrospective Analysis in the North of Portugal"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7940-3141","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreia","family":"Garc\u00eas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Inno\u2013Servi\u00e7os Especializados em Veterin\u00e1ria, R. C\u00e2ndido de Sousa 15, 4710-300 Braga, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7502-1346","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vanessa","family":"Soeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Parque Biol\u00f3gico de Gaia, Rua da Cunha, 4430-812 Avintes, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"L\u00f3io","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Parque Biol\u00f3gico de Gaia, Rua da Cunha, 4430-812 Avintes, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3191-7853","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberto","family":"Sargo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (CRAS-UTAD), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (CRAS-UTAD), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Filipe","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (CRAS-UTAD), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"CECAV, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6330-4560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel","family":"Pires","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CECAV, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Reeve, N. 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