The present study is the first qualitative and quantitative analysis of the diet of Algerian hedgehogs (Atelerix algirus) in Kabylia, Algeria. The study was carried out between May and October 2014 and covered two different sites, Yakouren (a forested site) and Tizi-Rached (an agricultural site). In Yakouren, the analysis of droppings allowed us to identify 12,050 items grouped into 16 categories of eaten preys, while in Tizi-Rached, 13,543 items grouped into 13 categories of preys were identified. In both locations, the Hymenoptera category is the most eaten type of prey at a rate of 93% in Yakouren and 98% in Tizi-Rached. Moreover, the seasonal variation, the food selectivity, and comparative studies of the consumed categories between the two sites were analyzed in this study. In the Hymenoptera category, 99% of the consumed preys at both sites belonged to the family Formicidae. A deeper investigation revealed that 13 species were in that family in Yakouren and 11 species in Tizi-Rached. The species most consumed by the hedgehogs at both sites are Messor spp. at a rate of 49% in Yakouren and 91% in Tizi-Rached. In order to analyze the preference for some prey, a biochemical analysis of the energy intake was performed and discussed.

• Barbault R (1981). Ecologie des populations et des peuplements. Paris, Franch: Ed. Masson.
• Beolchini F, Loy A (2004). Diet of syntopic moles Talpa romana and Talpa europaea in central Italy. Mamm Biol 2: 140-144.
• Bigot L, Bodot P (1973). Contribution à l’étude biocénotique de la garrigue à Quercus coccifera. Composition biotique du peuplement des invertébrés. Vie Milieu 23: 229-249 (in French).
• Blondel J (1979). Ecologie et biogéographie. Paris, France: Ed. Masson (in French).
• Brahmi K , Aulagnier S, Slimani S, Mann CS, Doumandji S, Baziz B (2012). Diet of the Greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula (Mammalia: Soricidae) in Grande Kabylie (Algeria). Ital J Zool 79: 239-245.
• Brockie RE (1959). Observations of the food of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus L.) in New Zealand. New Zeal J Sci 2: 121-136.
• Cagniant H (1970). Deuxième liste de fourmis d’Algérie, récoltées principalement en forêt (Deuxième partie). Bulletin de la Société d’Histoire Naturelle de Toulouse 106: 28-40 (in French).
• Cagniant H (1996). Les Camponotus du Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann Soc Entomol Fr 32: 87-100 (in French).
• Cagniant H (2005). Les Crematogaster du Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Clé de détermination et commentaires. Orsis 20: 7-12 (in French).
• Cagniant H, Espadaler X (1997). Le genre Messor au Maroc (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann Soc Entomol Fr 33: 419-434 (in French).
• Campbell PA (1973). The feeding behaviour of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus L.) in pasture land in New Zealand. Proceedings of the New Zealand Ecological Society 20: 35-40.
• Chopard L (1943). Faune de l’Empire français :I. Orthoptéroïdes de l’Afrique du Nord. Paris, France: Ed. Librairie Larose (in French).
• Chris J, Kisten M, Mark S (2005). Diet of hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in the upper Waitaki Basin, New Zealand: implications for conservation. New Zeal J Ecol 29: 29-35.
• Churchfield S (1982). Food availability and the diet of the common shrew, Sorex araneus, in Britain. J Anim Ecol 51: 15-28.
• Co JE, Jones TH, Hafetz A, Tinaut A, Senelling RR (2003). The comparative exocrine chemistry of mine Old World species of Messor (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Biochem Syst Ecol 31: 367- 373.
• Daget J (1976). Les modèles mathématiques en écologie. Paris, France: Ed. Masson (in French).
• Dajoz R (2006). Précis d’écologie. 8th ed. Paris, France: Dunod (in French).
• Delalande C (1985). Rythmes d’activité de quelques espèces de fourmis en région méditerranéenne (Hy, Formicidae). Act Colloq Insect S 2: 303-318.
• Derdoukh W, Guerzou A, Baziz-Neffah F, Khoudour A, Dahou M, Meribai A, Doumandji S (2012). Election of preys by Atelerix algirus in two stations of Mitidja (Algeria). International Journal of Bio-Technology and Research 2: 51-62.
• Derouiche L, Bouhadad R, Fernandes C (2016). Mitochondrial DNA and morphological analysis of hedgehogs (Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae) in Algeria. Biochem Syst Ecol 64: 57-64.
• Don W (2007). Ants of New Zealand. Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
• Doumandji S, Doumandji A (1992). Note sur le régime alimentaire du Hérisson d’Algérie, (Erinaceus algirus), dans la banlieue d’Alger. Mammalia 56: 318-321 (in French).
• Fedriani JM, Kohn MH (2001). Genotyping faeces link individuals to their diet. Ecol Lett 4: 477-483.
• Jacobs J (1974). Quantitative measurement of food selection: a modification of the forage ratio and Ivlev’s electivity index. Oecologia 14: 413-417.
• Jaksic FM, Feinsinger P, Jimenez JE (1992). A long-term study on the dynamics of guild structure among predatory vertebrates at a semi-arid Neotropical site. Oikos 67: 87-96.
• Jarrige R (1988). Alimentation des bovins, ovins et caprins. Paris, France: Ed. Institut National de Recherche en Agronomie (in French).
• Jones C, Norbury G (2011). Feeding selectivity of introduced hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus in a dryland habitat, South Island, New Zealand. Acta Theriol 56: 45-51.
• Khaldi M (2014). Les endoparasites et les ectoparasites des hérissons Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet, 1842) et Paraechinus aethiopicus (Mammalia, Erinacidae) et aperçu sur leur écologie trophique dans le bassin de Hodna (Algérie). PhD, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique, El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria.
• Khaldi M, Ribas A, Barech G, Hugot JP, Benyettou M, Albane L, Arrizabalaga A, Nicolas V (2016). Molecular evidence supports recent anthropogenic introduction of the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus in Spain, Balearic and Canary Islands from North Africa. Mammalia 80: 313-320.
• Khaldi M, Socolovschi C, Benyettou M, Barech G, Biche M, Kernif T, Raoult D, Parola P (2012a). Rickettsiae in arthropods collected from the North African Hedgehog (Atelerix algirus) and the desert hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus) in Algeria. Comp Immunol Microb 35: 117-122.
• Khaldi M, Torres J, Sams B, Miquel J, Biche M, Benyettou M, Barech G, Benelkadi HA, Ribas A (2012b). Endoparasites (helminths and coccidians) in the hedgehogs Atelerix algirus and Paraechinus aethiopicus from Algeria. Afr Zool 47: 48-54.
• Lecoq R (1965). Manuel d’analyses alimentaires et d’expertises usuelles. Vol. 2. Paris, France: Ed. Doin (in French).
• Mouhoub-Sayah C (2009). Ecophysiologie du Hérisson d’Algérie Atelerix algirus Lereboullet, 1842 (Mammalia, Insectivora) dans quelques stations du Djurdjura et dans la vallée de la Soummam. PhD, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique, El-Harrach, Algiers, Algeria (in French).
• Mouhoub-Sayah C, Robin JP, Pevet P, Monecke S, Doumandji S, Saboureau M (2009). Road mortality of the Algerian Hedgehog (Atelerix algirus) in the Soummam valley (Algeria). Rev Ecol- Terre Vie 64: 145–156.
• Moussi A (2012). Analyse systématique et étude bio-écologique de la faune des acridiens (Orthoptera, Acridomorpha) de la région de Biskra. PhD, University Mohamed Mentouri, Constantine, Algeria (in French).
• Perrier R (1927). La faune de la France illustrée. V. Coleoptera. Paris, France: Ed. Delagrave (in French).
• Perrier R (1940). La faune de la France. VIII. Hymenoptera. Paris, France: Ed. Delagrave (in French).
• Perrier R (1979). La faune de la France illustrée. IV. Hemipteres. Anploures. Mallophages. Lepidopteres. Paris, France: Ed. Delagrave (in French).
• Perrier R, Delphy F (1932). La faune de la France illustrée. VI. Coleoptera. Paris, France: Ed. Delagrave (in French).
• Ramade F (2008). Dictionnaire encyclopédique des sciences de la nature et de la biodiversité. Paris, France: Ed. Dunod (in French).
• Reeve NJ (1994). Hedgehogs. 1st ed. London, UK: T. & A. D. Poyser Ltd.
• Rothman JM, Raubenheimer D, Brye MAH, Takahashi M, Gilbert CC (2014). Nutritional contributions of insects to primate diets: implications for primate evolution. J Hum Evol 71: 59-69. Rumpold BA, Schlüter OK (2013). Nutritional composition and safety aspects of edible insects. Mol Nutr Food Res 57: 802-823. Sakraoui F, Boukheroufa M, Sakraoui W, Madoui MEB (2014). Ectoparasitic ecology of Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet, 1842) (Erinaceidae, Mammalia) in some localities of Edough Montain (Annaba, Northest Algeria). Advances in Environmental Biology 8: 217-221.
• Salas LA, Fuller TK (1996). Diet of the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris L.) in the Tabaro River valley, southern Venezuela. Can J Zool 74: 1444-1451.
• Wiens JA (1993). Fat times, lean times and competition among predators. Trends Ecol Evol 8: 348-349.
• Wroot AJ (1984). Feeding ecology of the European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus. PhD, University of London, London, UK. Yalden DW (1976). The food of the hedgehog in England. Acta Theriol 21: 401-424.