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

## TL;DR

European hedgehogs are using human-made materials like plastic in their hibernation nests, showing how wildlife adapts to urban environments.

## Contribution

This is the first detailed report of European hedgehogs using anthropogenic materials in hibernation nests.

## Key findings

- Two out of four dissected hedgehog nests contained anthropogenic materials such as plastic bags, foil, and polystyrene.
- The use of these materials suggests hedgehogs may adaptively incorporate human-made items into their nests in urban areas.
- The findings highlight a previously underreported behavior in terrestrial mammals and raise concerns about potential risks.

## Abstract

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.

This article presents the first detailed description of anthropogenic materials, including plastics, being incorporated into the hibernation nests of European hedgehogs (
Erinaceus europaeus
). While such behavior is well documented in birds, it has been underreported in terrestrial mammals—likely due to difficulties accessing mammalian nests—highlighting both potential risks (entanglement, ingestion) and possible adaptive responses to urbanization. These findings broaden the understanding of mammalian nesting behavior in human‐altered environments.