UK hedgehog populations have declined dramatically, with road mortality, habitat fragmentation, and pesticide-driven prey loss among the primary welfare and conservation concerns.
Road traffic injuries cause hedgehogs severe traumatic injuries including limb fractures, head trauma, and internal injuries, many of which are survivable with appropriate veterinary care. Wildlife rehabilitation centres care for thousands of road-casualty hedgehogs annually. Hedgehogs that survive winter without adequate fat reserves face lethal hypothermia. Secondary poisoning from slug pellets containing metaldehyde or chemical pesticides applied to gardens causes neurological signs and death. Garden netting entraps hedgehogs causing injuries and sometimes death from strangulation. The cumulative welfare impact of these multiple human-caused threats represents a significant and largely preventable welfare burden.