Badgers are an important predator of hedgehogs and both species eat similar invertebrates, such as earthworms and beetles. The Defra-funded research project ZF0531: Ecological consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem, assessed the consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem using information collected as part of the randomised badger culling trial. It found that the hedgehog population density increased by more than 100% in the proactive cull areas, in comparison to the no-cull control areas where they experienced a slight decline. This effect was limited to amenity grassland areas in and near villages. It can be concluded that the removal of badgers from an ecosystem, could result in a significant increase in

hedgehog abundance. The same study also observed an increase in the fox population within the proactive cull areas.

Defra has not funded any research in to any link between badger populations and declining bee populations.

Since the 1990s, the British Trust for Ornithology, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and other organisations have provided evidence of continued decline in hedgehog numbers and that the population may have decreased by approximately 25% over the past 10 years.

Under the work to develop the implementation plan for Biodiversity 2020, the Government's strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services, Natural England has commissioned work to review all species classified in accordance with Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 to identify the causes of the decline and priorities for action. The hedgehog is being considered within this context by the Mammal Taxon Group which comprises specialist organisations, led by Natural England.

The decline in the hedgehog population is well documented. The report “The State of Britain's Hedgehogs” was published in 2011 by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People's Trust for Endangered Species. The report, available online at:

http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/SOBH2011lowres.pdf

states that there were an estimated 30 million hedgehogs in the 1950s but that this estimate had declined to approximately 1.5 million by 1995. Both organisations have conducted various other hedgehog surveys.

Since the 1990s, the British Trust for Ornithology, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and other organisations, have provided evidence of continued decline in hedgehog numbers and that the population may have decreased by approximately 25% over the last 10 years.

Under the work to develop the implementation plan for Biodiversity 2020, the Government's strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services, Natural England has commissioned work to review all section 41 species to identify priorities for action and to determine what those actions should be. The hedgehog is being considered within this context by the Mammal Taxon Group which comprises specialist organisations, led by Natural England.

Badgers are an important predator of hedgehogs and both species eat similar invertebrates, such as earthworms and beetles. DEFRA funded research project ZF0531: Ecological consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem, which assessed the consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem using information collected as part of the randomised

badger culling trial. It found that the hedgehog population density increased by more than 100% in the proactive cull areas, in comparison to the no-cull control areas where they experienced a slight decline. This effect was limited to amenity grassland areas in and near villages. It can be concluded that the removal of badgers from an ecosystem, could result in a significant increase in hedgehog abundance.

DEFRA has not funded any research in to the link between badger populations and declining bee populations.