Hedgehogs “near threatened” on red list: what happened
Kyiv • UNN
Hedgehogs are listed as “critically endangered” due to a 30% decline in their population over the decades. The main reasons are urban development, intensive farming, and the use of pesticides.
Hedgehogs are now on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list as "near threatened" after their numbers in most of their range decreased by at least 30% over the past decade, UNN reports citing The Guardian.
Details
Although hedgehogs were once widespread across Europe and are still listed as "least concern", they are on the verge of extinction due to urban development, intensive farming and roads that have fragmented their habitat, the publication writes.
Their population is said to have been affected by collisions with vehicles, pesticide use, and poorly maintained gardens. Pesticides kill the insects that hedgehogs eat and can also directly poison them.
According to Abi Gazzard, IUCN program officer, "Unfortunately, the data points to an alarming and widespread downward trend. (...) There is still a chance to halt the decline of the Western European hedgehog population, and we must strive to prevent further deterioration.
The Red List also reveals that 38% of the world's tree species are threatened with extinction, according to the first global tree assessment. The list shows that at least 16425 of the 47282 species assessed are threatened with extinction.