Life on the edge : Hedgehog traffic victims and mitigation strategies in an anthropogenic landscape

This study focused on the most frequently recorded mammal species in road-kill surveys in western Europe: the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Investigations were conducted in an anthropogenic landscape and had two major aims:<ol><li>to quantify the effects of traffic mortality at individual, population, and species levels, and<li>to explore how the number of traffic victims could be reduced through changes in the landscape in areas adjacent to roads.</ol>The negative effects of roads and traffic were particularly clear at the individual level, and one could consider this reason enough to take mitigating actions. In addition, hedgehogs are likely to be affected at the population level. However, at the species level, the hedgehog has mostly benefited from many of the human-induced changes in the landscape. The way people manage the landscape seems to be the key factor in determining the long term future of the species. Manipulation of certain landscape features can be used to make wildlife passages more effective and also to keep hedgehogs away from road sections between passages.<strong>Key words</strong> - agricultural lands, anthropogenic landscape, barriers, behaviour, body weight, compensation, corridor, disease, edge habitat, Erinaceus europaeus, footprints, habitat fragmentation, habitat selection, hedgehog, hedgerow, human impact, injury, landscape changes, mating strategy, mitigation, mortality, nest sites, The Netherlands, population density, relative population density, road density, road-kills, roads, traffic intensity, traffic victims, urban wildlife, vegetation, vehicle clearance, wildlife passages