Environmental and Habitat Preferences of the Algerian Hedgehog Atelerix Algirus(Lereboullet, 1842) in El Kala National Park (North-East Algeria)

Authors

Sakraoui Rym, Soil and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar Annaba University BP 12, 23 200, Annaba, Algeria.Follow
Boukheroufa Mehdi, Soil and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar Annaba University BP 12, 23 200, Annaba, Algeria.Follow
Dadci Walid, Soil and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar Annaba University BP 12, 23 200, Annaba, Algeria.Follow
Abdallah Khadidjawissal, Faculty of Science, Chadli Bendjedid University BP 73, 36000, El Tarf, Algeria.Follow
Senaoui Charafeddine, Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic System Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar Annaba University BP 12, 23 200, Annaba, Algeria.Follow
Sakraoui Feriel, Soil and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar Annaba University BP 12, 23 200, Annaba, Algeria.Follow
Benyacoub Slim, Ecology of Terrestrial and Aquatic System Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Badji Mokhtar Annaba University BP 12, 23 200, Annaba, Algeria.Follow

Abstract

We conducted this study to identify the preferred habitat of Atelerix algirus in the National Park of El Kala (PNEK), through the analysis of the catches rates of the species combined to an ethno zoological survey carried out among the residents. The study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2011, in five localities of the Park, different by their useful areas (forests and agricultural land) and their degree of urbanization: Raml Souk, El Aioun, Berrihane, El Kala and Bougous. We also surveyed 57 residents of Berrihane locality. Our results identified the locality of Berrihane as the preferred area of life for the species within the PNEK. This area, which has the highest abundance, is rather semi-urban and as much forest as agricultural, meeting the different needs of the species in terms of survival, sustainability and reproduction. This study provided fundamental data on the bio-ecology of this urban adapt species in Mediterranean environments.

Article History

Received: Nov 20, 2021; Accepted: Feb 01, 2022; Published: March 24, 2022

Recommended Citation

Rym, S., Mehdi, B., Walid, D., Khadidjawissal, A., Charafeddine, S., Feriel, S., & Slim, B. (2022). Environmental and Habitat Preferences of the Algerian Hedgehog Atelerix Algirus(Lereboullet, 1842) in El Kala National Park (North-East Algeria), Journal of Bioresource Management, 9 (1).