Road mortality of hedgehogs Erinaceus spp. in farmland in Lower Silesia [South-Western Poland]

The paper presents the results of studies on mortality of hedgehogs Erinaceus spp. on roads in the agricultural landscape of Lower Silesia (south-west Poland). The investigation was carried out in 2001–2003 on a 48.8 km road network. The overall number of hedgehogs found killed was 75. Ninety three percent of all casualties (n = 70) was documented in built-up areas. For the whole period of investigation the average number of victims per 1 km road was 1.54, while in 2002 – 0.76. The average number of victims per 1 km road in built-up area was 37 times greater that in undeveloped area (5.4 vs. 0.14 casualties/1 km road). Based on the data obtained, it was calculated with the multiple regression method that hedgehog mortality on the 22 road sections studied in built-up areas was in 90% determined by the level of variation in the mean 24 hour traffic volume and lengths of the road sections.