Predicting hedgehog mortality risks on British roads using habitat suitability modelling
Patrick Wright, Frazer Coomber, Fiona Mathews, Sarah Perkins & Chloe Bellamy
Road vehicle collisions are likely to be an important contributory factor in the decline of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in Britain. Here, a collaborative roadkill dataset collected from multiple projects across Britain was used to assess when, where and why hedgehog roadkill are more likely to occur. Seasonal trends were assessed using a Generalized Additive Model (GAM). There were few casualties in winter — the hibernation season for hedgehogs — with a gradual increase...