Nottingham Trent University’s team of researchers are developing studies on how to protect hedgehogs killed on roads to help the UK’s declining population.
The animals are struggling with lost habitats, increased competition and traffic.
Digging tunnels under roads could reduce the number of deaths and prevent extinction, experts explain.
A report published in 2018 by PTES and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, revealed a 30% drop in the number of hedgehogs in urban areas since 2000.
The “State of Britain’s Hedgehogs” data also showed numbers decreased by half in rural areas in that period, with 100,000 hedgehogs killed on UK roads each year.
Following studies will include providing guidance for planners and developers to stop the creatures’ decline.
This will assess the numbers of hedgehogs killed on roads, as well as how many live in the area.
The research will be conducted by Lauren Moore, who is a PhD School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences student at NTU.
She said: “We need to know whether roads are affecting the long-term viability of hedgehog populations.
“To the best of our knowledge, the impact of roads on hedgehogs has not been investigated in this way before.”
The research will assess the numbers of hedgehogs killed on roads, as well as how many live in the area.
It will aim to determine whether the problem is so serious in some places that the local population is at risk of facing extinction.
Experts will also look at what types of hedgehogs are most at risk of being injured or killed – whether they are males or females, young or old.
NTU student Lauren is motivated to determine whether tunnels could be a solution to the problem.
She added: “There have also been no studies to examine whether tunnels are effective at reducing hedgehog road mortality or what attributes of a tunnel could make them more effective.”
The study, part funded by wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) will take place in a dozen sites across the UK, six of which have tunnels of various sizes to help animals pass under roads safely.
Grants Manager at PTES Nida Al-Fulaij, said: “Lauren’s work could help save this iconic species from further decline.”
By Olimpia Zagnat
Feature image credit: Pixabay