Artificial intelligence will be used for the first time to track hedgehog populations as part of a pioneering project aimed at understanding how many of them are left in the UK and why they have suffered a decline.
Images of the spiny mammals prowling urban parks, private gardens, forests and farmland will be captured by cameras and filtered by AI trained to distinguish between wildlife and humans.
The images will then be sent to human “spotters” who will pick out those with hedgehogs and send them to analysts, who will record the numbers and locations.
Using this method, the National Hedgehog Monitoring Program (NHMP) hopes to be able to estimate hedgehog populations in different habitats across the country, show how they change year on year, and – in time – provide a national estimate of the UK’s hedgehog population.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) said it would provide crucial insights into the factors causing hedgehog populations to tumble, and enable conservationists to implement practical conservation measures to try to halt the decline.
The three-year project is in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, ZSLs London HogWatchDurham University and MammalWeb, and largely funded by Natural England.
Dr Henrietta Pringle, the NHMP co-ordinator at PTES, said: “For the first time in the history of hedgehog conservation, we are using AI to open up new opportunities, which is hugely exciting. Previous studies have estimated hedgehog populations, but there has never been a rigorous nationwide survey of them – until now.
“We know hedgehogs are struggling – especially in the countryside – but before we can put practical conservation measures in place, we need to understand where they are and why they are declining.
“This is the first study where populations are measured year after year in the same location, which will produce important data and enable us to identify those at risk, which will hopefully help us reverse the decline over time. The results will also allow us to see regional and habitat differences and identify what factors affect them in different places, which will not only be fascinating but also incredibly useful for their long-term conservation.”
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Fay Vass, chief executive of the BHPS, said: “Everyone loves hedgehogs, but we recognize that not everyone is in a position to help them in the wild. Becoming a ‘spotter’ for the National Hedgehog Monitoring Program is a fantastic way for everyone to get involved. Now those with mobility issues, who don’t have a garden or may be away studying at university or college can help from the comfort of home.
“Helping hedgehogs has never been easier or more accessible, so we really hope people from all walks of life get involved.”
