[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Traffic was the most common cause of death for hedgehogs, the study found
Squashed under a hay bale, starvation and even electrocution – just some of the ways in which hedgehogs can meet their fate in the countryside, according to a new study.
Research by conservation experts at Nottingham Trent University, which has involved tracking the prickly mammals using radio and GPS technology, has shed fascinating new light on their activities and the various threats they face.
Experts have found that the most common cause of death for hedgehogs was traffic, while some were killed and eaten by badgers after being scooped out of their spiky hides. One hedgehog was easy prey after having its spikes removed by a garden strimmer.
The on-going study has also revealed how males travel much further than females – due to their hunt for a suitable mate – females forage for food more successfully, and that hedgehogs are most commonly found around buildings in rural environments.
Those tracked almost always travelled along linear features, such as hedgerow, field boundaries and woodland edges, rather than crossing over open spaces, possibly to avoid predation and remain near to food.
The researchers, based in the University's School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, also found evidence of hedgehogs eating toads, to supplement their typical diet of worms, beetles, snails and spiders.
The UK hedgehog population is thought to be on the decline and experts are keen to better understand the reasons behind the fall in numbers. A key problem appears to be that gardens are becoming much tidier, with increased decking and less suitable natural habitat for hedgehogs. New developments, meanwhile, are closed off and don't allow for easy access to gardens.
More than 100 hedgehogs have been captured over five years of study, with 30 individuals having been fitted with radio tags and released by the scientists. The tags emit a signal which can be picked up with a receiver and allows the researchers to monitor the animals' movements. They are also fitted with reflective markers so they can be tracked more easily at night.
Dr Richard Yarnell, lead researcher and expert in biodiversity conservation at Nottingham Trent University, said: "The study is producing some really interesting results, things that we weren't previously aware of. It's apparent that hedgehogs face many dangers in the UK countryside, not just traffic and predation as we might have previously thought.
"They can perish in a variety of cruel and unusual ways; we found one that was shocked when it came to rest against an electric fence, and another had its spikes removed by a garden strimmer, leaving it unable to defend itself against predators.
"As we start to establish a better picture of their movements and activities it will help us to identify potential conservation methods for the future."
Sat Jun 08, 2013 4:47 pm