"Apart from mishaps, predators and natural disasters (e.g. fire and flooding), hedgehogs have not had a great deal to worry about. Until the arrival of Homo sapiens on the planet (and hedgehogs were here long before us.) Manmade hazards and perils fall into four main categories: environmental, chemical, machanical, and deliberate killing or damage. It is hard to estimate the effect of these on the hedgehog population, either to date or in future. However, one thing is sure: the impact of such an array of new problems for the hedgehog coming in a relative short period of time is considerable.

"Environmental effects include destruction of habitat and shortages of food. As human populations have increased, more and more land that was once a haven for wildlife has been turned into roads, agricultural land, housing sites, and shopping centres. Unlike many species, and again due to their capacity to adapt and survive, hedgehogs have found a way to live in an urban environment. However, there is evidence to suggest that this is not without cost to their general health, since country hedgehogs in Dyfed are generally healthier than their town-dwelling cousins (see pp. 19-21).

"Hedgerows, where they are still in place around fields cultivated by agricultural machinery, can be dangerous places for nesting hedgehogs - the hedges may be carved up by farm machinery. Hedgehogs are now rare in arable areas; it is only in less heavily cultivated areas, such as the area of Wales that is home to the WHH, that hedgehogs can still live relatively safely in the countryside. Death by starvation when food is short can be classed as a natural hazard by all species. But as more and more habitats are destroyed, food shortages will increase, particularly for hedgehogs whose main prey species are eradicated by farmers."