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Study sheds light on decline of Britain’s hedgehogs
Researchers found evidence of badgers and hedgehogs co-existing.

Researchers investigate the effects of key habitat types and badger sett density 

A large proportion of rural England and Wales is ‘potentially unsuitable’ for hedgehogs and badgers to live in, according to new research.

The finding, revealed in the first systematic survey of rural hedgehog populations in England and Wales, suggests there is a wider landscape management issue affecting both species, rather than a single-factor being a cause of the hedgehog’s decline.

In the study, researchers investigated the effects of the availability of key habitat types and badger sett density on native hedgehogs. They found that while badger sett density is negatively linked to the presence of hedgehogs, there is evidence of both species co-existing and hedgehogs being positively associated with built habitat, like housing.

More concerning, however, was that badger setts were not recorded at many of the sites surveyed. Lead author Ben Williams, a PhD student from the University of Reading, explains:

"We found that although hedgehogs were generally widely distributed across England and Wales, they were actually found at a worryingly low number (21 per cent) of sites. We also found that hedgehogs were absent from 71 per cent per cent of sites that did not have badger setts either, indicating that both hedgehogs and badgers may be absent from large portions of rural England and Wales.

“We found hedgehogs at 55 sites. We also found that badger setts were present at 49 per cent of these sites, demonstrating that badgers and hedgehogs can, and do, coexist, as was the case historically for thousands of years prior to the recent decline in hedgehog numbers. However, perhaps, more importantly, our results indicate that a large proportion of rural England and Wales is potentially unsuitable for both hedgehogs and badgers to live in.

“Given the similarity in diets of the two species, one explanation for this could be the reduced availability of macro-invertebrate prey (such as earthworms) which both species need to feed on to survive. This could be as a result of agricultural intensification and climate change.”

The research was led by Nottingham Trent University and the University of Reading and funded by the People's Trust for Endangered Species and the Hedgehog Preservation Society. It surveys 261 rural sites covering all habitat types in England and Wales between 2014 and 2015 using footprint tracking tunnels.

'Reduced occupancy of hedgehogs in rural England and Wales: the influence of habitat and an asymmetric intra-guild predator’ is published in Scientific Reports

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.