| North African hedgehog | |
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| A North African hedgehog in the Balearic Islands | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Erinaceidae |
| Genus: | Atelerix |
| Species: | A. algirus[1]
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| Binomial name | |
| Atelerix algirus[1] (Lereboullet, 1842)
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| North African hedgehog range | |
The North African hedgehog (Atelerix algirus) or Algerian hedgehog, is a mammal species in the family Erinaceidae native to Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Spain, and Tunisia. Little is known about this hedgehog, even though the most common breed of domesticated hedgehogs is a result of crossing a four-toed hedgehog with a North African hedgehog. Because this species of hedgehog is native to Africa, it has been suggested that it was introduced by humans to the other countries where it is now found, including Spain and the Canary Islands. Of the four African hedgehog species, the North African hedgehog is the only one of these hedgehogs that occurs outside Africa.[3] Because the North African hedgehog has such a wide habitat range and has a seemingly stable population, both in the wild and in the domesticated capacity, it does not appear to currently be at risk.[citation needed]
- ^ Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 212–213. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ Amori, G.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsainas, G. & Palomo, L. (2021) [amended version of 2008 assessment]. "Atelerix algirus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T27926A197498795. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T27926A197498795.en. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ Stone, R. D. (1995). "Algerian hedgehog (Atelerix algirus)". In IUCN Insectivore, Tree Shrew and Elephant Shrew Specialist Group (ed.). Eurasian insectivores and tree shrews : status survey and conservation action plan. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. pp. 8–10. ISBN 2-8317-0062-0.