Editing Hedgehog (section)

==As invasive species==
In areas where hedgehogs have been introduced, [[Hedgehogs in New Zealand|such as New Zealand]] and the islands of [[Scotland]], the hedgehog has become a pest, lacking natural predators. In New Zealand it has decimated native species including insects, [[snail]]s, lizards and ground-nesting birds, particularly shore birds.<ref name="landcare">{{cite web| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031001170723/http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/release.asp?Ne_ID=86| archive-date=2003-10-01 |url=http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/release.asp?Ne_ID=86| title=Hedgehogs pose prickly problem for native fauna|date=17 September 2003|publisher=[[Landcare Research]] media release |access-date=6 December 2011}}</ref>

Eradication can be troublesome. Attempts to [[island restoration|eliminate]] hedgehogs from bird colonies on the Scottish islands of [[North Uist]] and [[Benbecula]] in the [[Outer Hebrides]] were met with international protest. Eradication began in 2003 with 690 hedgehogs killed, though animal welfare groups attempted rescues. By 2007, [[injunction|legal injunctions]] prohibited the killing, and in 2008, the elimination process was changed to trapping and releasing on the mainland.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Ross |date=14 January 2009 |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/18-trappers-sought-for-hebrides-to-protect-birds-from-hedgehogs-1.899715 |title=18 Trappers Sought for Hebrides to Protect Birds from Hedgehogs |work=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] |access-date=12 June 2009 |archive-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810225805/http://www.heraldscotland.com/18-trappers-sought-for-hebrides-to-protect-birds-from-hedgehogs-1.899715 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2022, it was reported that the hedgehog population in rural Britain was declining rapidly, down by 30{{ndash}}75% since 2000.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 February 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60436607 |title=Hedgehog population plummets in UK countryside, research suggests |website=BBC News |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222065825/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60436607 |url-status=live }}</ref>