Road casualties are a leading cause of hedgehog mortality; understanding how to help road-casualty hedgehogs and prevent further injuries can save individual lives and support population recovery.
Road-casualty hedgehogs experience traumatic injuries — fractured skulls, broken limbs, and internal hemorrhage. Even hedgehogs that curl defensively can sustain crush injuries from vehicle tires. Hedgehogs found by the road may appear fine but suffer from internal injuries, shock, or hypothermia. Without prompt, appropriate care from trained rehabilitators, survival rates are poor. The welfare case for improved road infrastructure — bridges, culverts, reflectors — and reduced traffic speed on rural roads at night is strong and evidence-based.