TENKASI: Uncontrolled poaching of the endangered Madras hedgehog, coupled with habitat loss from urbanisation and vehicular threats, may be causing a population decline in Tenkasi, according to a recent study by wildlife researcher Brawin Kumar and PhD scholar Abinesh Muthaiyan.
Their paper, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa on April 26, is based on surveys conducted in 38 villages from July 2021 to September 2023.
Of 1,141 villagers surveyed, 38% said hedgehogs were hunted for skin, 41% for spines, and 19% for meat. Hedgehog parts are reportedly used in traditional medicine and are traded illegally across TN and other states.
Around 31% admitted to using hedgehog parts for medicinal purposes, while 9% kept them as pets. Increased roadkill due to inadequate signage, fast-moving traffic, and hedgehogs’ nocturnal, heat-basking behaviour also threaten their survival. The study highlights anthropogenic pressures in habitats like Ayikudy, Alangulam, and Surandai.
As the species is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amendment 2022), the authors urge immediate conservation efforts, including habitat protection, anti-poaching enforcement, and public awareness campaigns.