Hedgehog road deaths are three times higher than previously thought

Hedgehog road deaths are three times higher than previously thought, with 335,000 killed a year, according to a new study.

A team of researchers at Nottingham Trent University said the “alarming” findings of their research showed the true number of deaths well exceeded the previous estimate of 100,000 deaths in 2016.

The experts said drivers’ behaviour was the biggest cause of hedgehogs being run over, but suggested hedgehog tunnels and speed bumps could help reduce the death toll.

Recent estimates put the hedgehog population in England, Wales and Scotland at around one million, suggesting a third of the current population is wiped out each year.

Separately, figures in the Journal of Zoology suggest 70 per cent of hedgehog young die in their first year.

Lauren Moore, a PhD student who led the study, said hedgehog roadkill was “sadly a very familiar sight both in the UK and in Europe”.

Hedgehog bridges and tunnels can help the animals to cross the road, but there is a lack of evidence on how effective the structures actually are.

"Changing drivers' behaviour has been shown to be difficult to achieve and sustain, reducing the potential for meaningful reductions in roadkill,” Ms Moore added.

Nida Al-Fulaij, grants manager at the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, which funded the research, said: "With thousands of hedgehogs killed on UK roads every year, the continuous development of road networks, without any mitigation, puts this already endangered species at even further risk."