How does the Sarthe Animal Defense League protect hedgehogs?

European hedgehogs today face a combination of threats that reduce their numbers and weaken their presence in our landscapes. As a veterinarian and co-director of a clinic, I regularly see injured or poisoned animals; I want to share concrete elements with you to better understand the situation and take action. 🦔❤️

The threats weigh on the hedgehogs

Before detailing the possible actions, it is necessary to provide an overview of the risks faced by these small nocturnal mammals.

List specific threats

Every year many hedgehogs are victims of road accidents: road accidents frequent during their nocturnal movements. Gardens and roadsides become traps when speed increases and green corridors disappear.

Chemicals – insecticides, herbicides and other poisons – deplete food supplies and cause poisoning. Lawnmowers and trimmers also cause serious, often fatal, injuries when the animal is in long grass or piles of leaves.

Other threats include household and urban accidents: drowning in edgeless pools, dog bites, entanglement in fences and nets, or injuries related to gardening machinery. Foxes and badgers remain natural predators, but their impact is amplified by habitat loss.

Finally, intensive agriculture and the disappearance of hedges lead to the fragmentation of environments. Habitat destruction reduces feeding and breeding areas, causing a gradual decline in populations.

Here is a summary table that compares the threats, their consequences and simple measures to mitigate them.

The state of conservation of sea urchins

Understanding the current ranking helps assess the urgency and scope of protection actions.

History and reclassification

The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) was reclassified in 2024 by the IUCN as “almost threatened”. This change reflects a downward population trend observed in Western Europe and France.

This reclassification is based on census data, mortality studies and habitat monitoring. It reflects a cumulative loss: fewer individuals, fewer favorable sites, and an increase in anthropogenic threats.

Impact on local biodiversity

The scarcity of hedgehogs has repercussions that go beyond the species itself. As consumers of insects and invertebrates, they help regulate populations of snails, slugs and harmful insects.

A decline in curls they can therefore modify local balances: increase in some parasites, loss of ecosystem services and impoverishment of ecological corridors. Protecting the species often means protecting a set of habitats and other associated species.

Actions of the League for the Defense of Animals (LDA) in the Sarthe

On site, local structures coordinate rescue and awareness raising to improve the care of hedgehogs in difficulty.

Role and coordination of volunteers

The LDA is participating in the creation of a network of voluntary repatriates who identify, collect and transport injured hedgehogs to treatment centres. These volunteers provide an essential local network to reduce delays before treatment.

In the Sarthe, this network makes use of volunteers trained in the adoption and safety of a wild animal. Their action reduces secondary injuries and improves the chances of recovery.

Involvement of local veterinarians

Several Sarthe veterinarians are hired to make initial diagnoses and provide emergency care. Their involvement facilitates a rapid assessment of the health status of captured animals.

These professionals also participate in training and information campaigns to improve care and transmit good habits to the public and volunteers.

Specialized backup centers

Specialized centers guarantee adequate care, convalescence and release when the animal is fit to return to nature.

Presentation of Erinaceus France

The association Erinaceus France was created in 2017 and approved in December 2018 for the care of the European hedgehog. Its recent history shows a rapid development of expertise and infrastructure dedicated to this species.

This structure has become a reference in terms of care, competence and coordination for the hedgehog, combining action in the field and raising public awareness.

Services and places

Erinaceus offers a series of services: public information, veterinary expertise, medical assistance for sick or injured animals, rehabilitation and release. These phases ensure a complete path for maximum chance of survival.

The association has branches in Paris and the Sarthe, which facilitates access to care for animals present in different areas. Geographic proximity reduces transportation stress and speeds up medical care.

The importance of education

Raising awareness is an important lever to reduce human errors and encourage respectful gardening and development practices.

Linking education and conservation

Education of the general public helps limit inappropriate handling, encourages the creation of favorable habitats and promotes alternatives to pesticides. An informed population reacts better when it discovers a hedgehog in danger.

Schools, associations and local media play a role in transmitting good practices: abandoning refuge areas, installing passages between gardens and reporting injured animals to appropriate structures.

Educational initiatives

Practical guides, workshops and field actions are aimed at different audiences, especially children. These initiatives make protection tangible and provide guidance on what to do – or avoid – when you encounter a hedgehog.

Understanding the role of urchins in the ecosystem promotes adherence to protection measures. Knowledge transforms attitudes and supports habitat restoration.

Intervention procedures

When you find a hedgehog in danger, following a clear procedure increases its chances of survival and avoids dangerous handling.

Observation and first reflexes

My first recommendation is to observe without systematically manipulating. A hedgehog may be in a stupor or injured state; the disorder can make the situation worse. Note the location, time and apparent condition before taking any action.

If the animal is clearly in immediate danger (road, predator, electrical hazard), quickly secure the area and prepare a ventilated box for transport. Wear gloves to avoid bites and further stress.

Capture, identification and tracking

For safe capture, use a hard box lined with a clean cloth. Avoid synthetic covers that can get caught on plugs. Write down the date, place and your observations on a piece of paper: this information sheet accompanies the animal to the treatment centre.

Contact the nearest facility or LPO Sarthe to coordinate delivery. For immediate assistance, you can contact LPO Sarthe at 02 43 85 96 65. The network will direct you to the competent center and, if necessary, can mobilize a volunteer repatriator.

Collective commitment to protection

The protection of hedgehogs involves close collaboration between citizens, professionals and associations.

Shared responsibility

The volunteers who search for and transport the animals, the veterinarians who provide diagnoses and treatments and the associations who coordinate the actions constitute a rescue chain. Every connection counts reduce mortality and encourage reintroduction.

Citizen participation (reporting, creating shelters, reducing pesticides) increases the effectiveness of interventions and helps restore viable populations in the long term.

Social mobilization and prospects

The growing interest in the protection of living beings makes it easier to find resources and carry out collective actions: participatory censuses, practical guides, school workshops and local campaigns. These initiatives strengthen the resilience of local populations.

By acting together, you and I, we can reduce preventable causes of mortality and restore favorable landscapes. A shared commitment brings measurable results for biodiversity and the quality of our local environments.

In summary: observe, make safe, contact the competent structures and participate in local actions: every gesture counts to offer the hedgehog an extra chance to live and carry out its ecological role. 🦔