A new study has found that traffic kills a large number of hedgehogs every year. Between 15% and 29% of local hedgehogs die on roads annually. The research involved the University of Cambridge, along with three other UK universities. The study appears in the journal Animal Conservation.
The study looked at how road deaths affect hedgehog populations of different sizes. It also looked at what might happen to these populations over time.
The results show something intriguing. Big hedgehog populations lose the most hedgehogs to traffic in raw numbers. But they can cope better. This is because they have higher survival rates and breed more successfully. Furthermore, most hedgehogs killed on roads are male. Males travel further than females because they are searching for mates. This means fewer females are lost, so populations can recover more easily.
Small populations face a much bigger problem. Any group with fewer than 15 hedgehogs struggles badly. Even a small number of road deaths each year can hurt these groups seriously. They simply cannot breed fast enough to make up for the losses.
How the Study Was Done
Scientists from Nottingham Trent University led the project. They chose four hedgehog populations across towns and villages in Nottinghamshire. These areas: The researchers selected these areas to represent typical UK habitats and road conditions found elsewhere. because they reflect typical UK habitats and road conditions elsewhere.
The team walked an impressive 838 kilometers of survey routes. They tracked population sizes, breeding rates, and survival rates for both adults and young hedgehogs.
They also carried out 269 separate roadkill surveys. This work took place over 18 months. The goal was to identify every hedgehog killed by traffic in and around the study areas. Researchers recorded where each animal died, along with its age and sex.
What the Future Might Look Like
Using this data, the team built models to predict future outcomes. They wanted to understand what might happen if UK traffic levels continue to rise, as expected.
One scenario assumed that half of all hedgehogs One scenario predicted that cars could kill half of all hedgehogs each year. by cars each year. Under this scenario, the two smaller populations would shrink by half within just two years. They could vanish entirely within nine years.
Even larger populations are not safe from serious harm. The models showed that a 40% death rate would still cause major decline. One large population would decline by 40% over 50 years. Another would fall by 51% over the same period.
What Needs to Change
Experts say this research highlights an urgent need for action. Smaller hedgehog populations need extra support to survive alongside busy roads. Protecting and expanding beneficial habitat is also essential.
Simple changes can make a real difference. Leaving wild, untidy patches in gardens provides hedgehogs food and safe places to nest.
Connecting habitats matters too. Small gaps in garden fences, sometimes called “Hedgehog Highways,” let hedgehogs travel safely between gardens. These gaps are usually about 13 cm by 13 cm. They allow hedgehogs to reach new areas without needing to cross dangerous roads.
Dr. Silviu Petrovan from Cambridge University’s Zoology Department explained the wider context. He said rural hedgehog numbers are already falling due to changes in land use. Road deaths are now making this decline even worse.
He added that stopping road deaths completely is very difficult, given how many roads already exist. Broader conservation efforts are essential to help rural hedgehogs cope with this ongoing threat.
Fay Vass, Chief Executive of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, welcomed the findings. She said the study goes beyond simply counting roadkill. It helps explain how these deaths affect hedgehog populations, both now and in years to come. She stressed that understanding these causes is key to reversing the UK’s declining hedgehog numbers.
