A recent study sheds light on the troubling increase of cut injuries in European hedgehogs in Germany, highlighting the impact of human activities on this already declining species. The research, led by Dr. Anne Berger from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, collected data on hedgehogs with cut injuries over a 16-month period from various care centers across Germany. The findings reveal a significant threat to hedgehog populations, primarily from garden maintenance equipment, especially robotic lawnmowers.

Dr. Berger and her team gathered information from a significant number of hedgehogs with cut injuries reported by numerous care centers. The study, published in the journal Animals, shows that most of these hedgehogs were found more than half a day after the injury occurred, and nearly half did not survive due to the severity of their wounds. Dr. Berger emphasized the gravity of these injuries, stating, “Cutting injuries caused by garden maintenance equipment pose an additional lethal danger to this declining, protected wildlife species.”

The data collected in this study is critical for understanding the extent and characteristics of these injuries. The study found that cut injuries are becoming increasingly common, with a noticeable rise in cases from one year to the next. Most injuries occurred during the hedgehogs’ active periods in late spring and early summer, coinciding with increased human activity in gardens. Although the data suggests a higher number of injuries on weekends and Tuesdays, these differences were not statistically significant.

Robotic lawnmowers emerged as a significant cause of these injuries. Unlike other garden tools, these devices can operate at any time, including nights and weekends, when hedgehogs are most active. The study indicates that many hedgehogs suffer severe injuries from these machines, leading to prolonged pain and suffering. This issue calls for immediate technical or political solutions, such as banning the nighttime use of robotic mowers.

Dr. Berger noted the high mortality rate among injured hedgehogs, with a substantial number euthanized and many dying during treatment. “The high number of hedgehogs injured by cuts places an enormous burden on care centers and requires above-average care and treatment,” Dr. Berger said. The majority of injured hedgehogs were adults, and the study also reported cases of dependent nestlings injured by the destruction of their nests.

The research highlights the need for urgent action to protect hedgehogs from garden maintenance equipment. The findings underscore the importance of implementing measures to prevent such injuries and improve the survival chances of this declining species. Dr. Berger concluded, “There is a considerable animal welfare problem, and alternatives that do not cause such suffering must be implemented immediately.”

The study by Dr. Berger and her team provides valuable insights into the occurrence and characteristics of cut injuries in hedgehogs, offering a foundation for future conservation efforts. The comprehensive data collected in this study will aid in developing strategies to mitigate the impact of human activities on hedgehog populations and ensure their survival.

Journal Reference

Berger, Anne. “Occurrence and Characteristics of Cut Injuries in Hedgehogs in Germany: A Collection of Individual Cases.” Animals, 2024, 14, 57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010057

About the Author

Dr. Anne Berger is a behavioral ecologist at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin. Her academic journey began as a zoo animal keeper in Berlin (1987–1988), followed by studies in biology at Humboldt University. She completed her PhD (1999) in behavioral ecology with a focus on chronobiological studies of Przewalski’s horses and red deer. Since 2000, she has served as a research scientist at IZW, and between 2008 and 2010 held a guest scientist position at Sweden’s SLU in Umeå. Her research spans behavioral ecology, chronobiology, urban wildlife, animal welfare, and stress detection. She also co-edited a special issue on applied hedgehog conservation.