Hope for hedgehogs as numbers in Britain’s towns show signs of recovery

Survey reveals dramatic difference between state of urban and country populations, with rural numbers continuing to plummet

Britain's urban hedgehogs are showing signs of recovery, according to a new report, but rural populations have fallen by as much as 75% in some regions in just 20 years.

The charismatic prickly creature, voted the UK's favourite mammal in 2016, has experienced a dramatic fall in numbers since the turn of the millennium due to loss of habitat, attacks by dogs, vanishing prey and being killed by traffic. However, new analysis of hedgehog surveys has revealed a stark distinction between the fortunes of the town and country hedgehog, with clear signs the urban population has stabilised and may even be on the up.