Abstract
Simple SummaryInjured European hedgehogs are frequently admitted to hedgehog rehabilitation centres with different types of cuts and injuries. Although not rigorously quantified, a growing concern is that an increasing number of cases may have been caused by robotic lawn mowers. Research indicates that European hedgehogs are in decline. It is therefore important to identify and investigate the factors responsible for this decline to improve the conservation initiatives directed at this species. Because hedgehogs are increasingly associated with human habitation, it seems likely that numerous individuals will encounter several robotic lawn mowers during their lifetimes. Consequently, this study aimed to describe and quantify the effects of robotic lawn mowers on hedgehogs, and we tested 18 robotic lawn mowers in collision with dead hedgehogs. Some models caused extensive damage to the dead hedgehogs, but there were noteworthy differences in the degree of harm inflicted, with some consistently causing no damage. None of the robotic lawn mowers tested was able to detect the presence of dead, dependent juvenile hedgehogs, and no models could detect the hedgehog cadavers without physical interaction. We therefore encourage future collaboration with the manufacturers of robotic lawn mowers to improve the safety for hedgehogs and other garden wildlife species.We tested the effects of 18 models of robotic lawn mowers in collision with dead European hedgehogs and quantified the results into six damage categories. All models were tested on four weight classes of hedgehogs, each placed in three different positions. None of the robotic lawn mowers tested was able to detect the presence of dependent juvenile hedgehogs (<200 g) and all models had to touch the hedgehogs to detect them. Some models caused extensive damage to the hedgehog cadavers, but there were noteworthy differences in the degree of harm inflicted, with some consistently causing no damage. Our results showed that the following technical features significantly increased the safety index of the robotic lawn mowers: pivoting blades, skid plates, and front wheel drive. Based on these findings, we encourage future collaboration with the manufacturers of robotic lawn mowers to improve the safety for hedgehogs and other garden wildlife species.
Highlights
Research on both national and local scales has either documented, or expressed concern about the likelihood of, a decline in European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) populations in several western European countries [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
The injuries appeared on all areas of the body in no particular pattern, as it depended on the position in which the hedgehog was caught under the robotic lawn mower, as well as the angles of the blades
As the results showed that none of the robotic lawn mowers tested was able to detect the hedgehogs without physical interaction and none detected the dependent juveniles, we cannot be confident that any of the robotic lawn mowers tested were entirely safe to hedgehogs
Summary
Research on both national and local scales has either documented, or expressed concern about the likelihood of, a decline in European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) populations in several western European countries [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. Not rigorously quantified, a concern has arisen in several European countries that an increasing number of cases may have been caused by robotic lawn mowers. These growing rumours have led to several articles in the media and on social media claiming that these mowers are lethal to hedgehogs. If the threat is real, it would be a cause for concern, as the global market for robotic lawn mowers is expanding dramatically and was expected to reach USD 1.3 billion in 2020, growing at an annual rate of more than 12 percent during the period 2019–2025 [14]
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