UK urban porcupine populations are showing signs of recovery, but rural populations have fallen by as much as 75% in some regions in just 20 years, according to a new report.
Charming thorny creatures, Voted UK’s favorite mammal in 2016, experienced a significant population decline since the turn of the millennium due to habitat loss, dog attacks, disappearing prey and being killed by traffic. However, new analysis of hedgehog surveys has revealed a stark disparity between the fortunes of town and rural hedgehogs, with clear signs that urban populations have stabilized and even may increase.
Counting species of nocturnal mammals is difficult, with the UK’s total population thought to be around 879,000 in 2018. They are now listed as vulnerable to extinction. on the British red list of mammals and has been the subject of considerable conservation efforts, with campaigns aimed at creating “Hedgehog Highway” to connect living environment and more than 100,000 “Hedgehog Champion”.
The UK State of Hedgehogs 2022 reportconducted by the People’s Foundation for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Conservation Society (BHPS), gathered data from five ongoing surveys, with two urban populations showing trends increased and an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 hedgehogs reside in the suburbs and inner cities. – City green space.
“We have known for a long time that there has been a historic decline in the number of hedgehogs. But the report highlights the difference between urban and rural populations,” said Fay Vass, head of BHPS.
“The rural population is continuing to decline sharply. They have declined by 30% to 75% across various parts of the countryside since 2000. In contrast, urban urchins appear to have stabilized and may even begin to recover after being previously affected. free fall. So that’s a glimmer of hope. ”
According to the report, the outlook for rural urchins remains bleak. While the eastern Midlands and eastern England are home to the country’s largest population densities, they’ve also experienced significant declines, down 74% and 35% respectively since 1994. Over the past decade , this number has lost a third and a quarter. of their respective porcupine populations, according to the report.
The mammals, which have been in Britain for at least half a million years, are mainly threatened by habitat loss and a lack of accompanying prey such as beetles and earthworms. Conservationists are trying to better understand rural decline and are working with farmers to help them better manage the land for animals.
Hugh Warwick, an ecologist who is leading a national campaign to make hedgehog highways a legal requirement for new housing developments, said: “We have a bit of a boost. [in urban populations]. That’s really interesting but we have to be cautious. It must be placed in the context of a state of mass degradation that has occurred. “
To help the animal recover, Warwick encourages gardeners to embrace cluttered gardens. “We have to get rid of the cult of orderliness. It’s an absurd cult, fueled by gardening shows and flashy magazines. The gardens should be a place where we share with nature,” he said.
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University are also investigating the relationship between honey badger and porcupine populations, with evidence that the presence of honey badger negatively affects spiky creatures. Most abundant in south-west England and south Wales, honey badgers prey on hedgehogs and compete with them for food.
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