Skink predation by hedgehogs at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand

A. Spitzen-van der Sluijs; J. Spitzen; D. Houston; A.H.P. Stumpel

Skink predation by hedgehogs at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand

A. Spitzen-van der Sluijs, J. Spitzen, D. Houston, A.H.P. Stumpel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The stomach contents of 158 hedgehogs captured at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand, over two summers in 2000 and 2001 were examined for the occurrence of lizards. The remains of at least 43 skinks (both Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma and O. maccanni) and one gecko (Hoplodactylus sp.) were found. Twenty-one percent (n = 33; 8 males and 25 females) of the examined hedgehogs had fed on skinks. Female hedgehogs ate significantly more skinks than did males. Our results suggest that the presence of large numbers of hedgehogs can have a high impact on native reptile populations in New Zealand and therefore they should be targeted in future trapping programmes

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	205-207
Journal	New Zealand Journal of Ecology
Volume	33
Issue number	2
Publication status	Published - 2009

Keywords

Conservation
Erinaceus europaeus
Introduced mammals
Oligosoma
Predation

Cite this

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title = "Skink predation by hedgehogs at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand",

abstract = "The stomach contents of 158 hedgehogs captured at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand, over two summers in 2000 and 2001 were examined for the occurrence of lizards. The remains of at least 43 skinks (both Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma and O. maccanni) and one gecko (Hoplodactylus sp.) were found. Twenty-one percent (n = 33; 8 males and 25 females) of the examined hedgehogs had fed on skinks. Female hedgehogs ate significantly more skinks than did males. Our results suggest that the presence of large numbers of hedgehogs can have a high impact on native reptile populations in New Zealand and therefore they should be targeted in future trapping programmes",

keywords = "Conservation, Erinaceus europaeus, Introduced mammals, Oligosoma, Predation",

author = "{Spitzen-van der Sluijs}, A. and J. Spitzen and D. Houston and A.H.P. Stumpel",

note = "09-3256",

year = "2009",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "205--207",

journal = "New Zealand Journal of Ecology",

issn = "0110-6465",

publisher = "New Zealand Ecological Society",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Skink predation by hedgehogs at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand

AU - Spitzen-van der Sluijs, A.

AU - Spitzen, J.

AU - Houston, D.

AU - Stumpel, A.H.P.

N1 - 09-3256

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - The stomach contents of 158 hedgehogs captured at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand, over two summers in 2000 and 2001 were examined for the occurrence of lizards. The remains of at least 43 skinks (both Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma and O. maccanni) and one gecko (Hoplodactylus sp.) were found. Twenty-one percent (n = 33; 8 males and 25 females) of the examined hedgehogs had fed on skinks. Female hedgehogs ate significantly more skinks than did males. Our results suggest that the presence of large numbers of hedgehogs can have a high impact on native reptile populations in New Zealand and therefore they should be targeted in future trapping programmes

AB - The stomach contents of 158 hedgehogs captured at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand, over two summers in 2000 and 2001 were examined for the occurrence of lizards. The remains of at least 43 skinks (both Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma and O. maccanni) and one gecko (Hoplodactylus sp.) were found. Twenty-one percent (n = 33; 8 males and 25 females) of the examined hedgehogs had fed on skinks. Female hedgehogs ate significantly more skinks than did males. Our results suggest that the presence of large numbers of hedgehogs can have a high impact on native reptile populations in New Zealand and therefore they should be targeted in future trapping programmes

KW - Conservation

KW - Erinaceus europaeus

KW - Introduced mammals

KW - Oligosoma

KW - Predation

M3 - Article

SN - 0110-6465

VL - 33

SP - 205

EP - 207

JO - New Zealand Journal of Ecology

JF - New Zealand Journal of Ecology

IS - 2

ER -

Skink predation by hedgehogs at Macraes Flat, Otago, New Zealand

Abstract

Keywords

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