Reduced occupancy of hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in rural England and Wales: the influence of habitat and an asymmetric intra-guild predator

Agricultural landscapes have become increasingly intensively managed resulting in population declines across a broad range of taxa, including insectivores such as the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Hedgehog declines have also been attributed to an increase in the abundance of badgers (Meles meles), an intra-guild predator. The status of hedgehogs across the rural landscape at large spatial scales is, however, unknown. In this study, we used footprint tracking tunnels to conduct the first national survey of rural hedgehog populations in England and Wales. Single and two-species occupancy modelling was used to quantify hedgehog occupancy in relation to habitat and predator covariates. Hedgehog occupancy was low (22% nationally), and significantly negatively related to badger sett density and positively related to the built environment. Hedgehogs were also absent from 71% of sites that had no badger setts, indicating that large areas of the rural landscape are not occupied by hedgehogs. Our results provide the first field based national survey of hedgehogs, providing a robust baseline for future monitoring. Furthermore, the combined effects of increasing badger abundance and intensive agriculture may have provided a perfect storm for hedgehogs in rural Britain, leading to worryingly low levels of occupancy over large spatial scales

A survey of current mammal rehabilitation and release practices

Mammal rehabilitation is carried out in hundreds of centres worldwide, requiring a large investment of time, personnel and funds. Although there are numerous published studies focusing on post-release outcomes, few have discussed the methods employed in rehabilitation. As an important first step toward addressing this, data were collected directly from rehabilitation centres about their aims, methods employed and assessment of outcomes. A survey of mammal rehabilitation centres was conducted with data collected in the form of responses to multiple-choice questions and written responses. Our results indicated a number of challenges, including: problems surrounding social group formation, lack of predator avoidance training, limited or no pre-release medical screening, release of animals exhibiting stereotypic behaviours, frequently short-term (<6 months) post-release monitoring, with only a third of centres assessing the success of releases. Although many factors may influence the success of rehabilitation, improvements to monitoring and assessment are needed before the effects of any changes to protocols could be determined. Extended post-release monitoring and thorough assessment should be a part of any future mammal rehabilitation projects. With a view to improving the rehabilitation phase, we have developed a decision tree to assist the assessment of mammals at each stage of the rehabilitation process. This could be easily adapted to create detailed species-specific models in the future

Robotic lateral oropharyngectomy following diagnostic tonsillectomy is oncologically safe in patients with high risk human papillomavirus related squamous cell cancer.

PURPOSE Diagnostic tonsillectomy is rarely an oncologic operation owing to close or positive margins. The standard of care is for further treatment to the primary site, typically with adjuvant radiotherapy. METHODS 14 patients with close or positive margins following a diagnostic tonsillectomy underwent transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and lateral oropharyngectomy; five patients with the longest follow-up had their excision specimens examined with a step serial sectioning technique (SSS). RESULTS Conventional histopathological examination of the TORS resection specimens did not demonstrate residual carcinoma in 13 patients, confirmed by examination using SSS in 5 patients. There were no post-operative complications or long-term functional deficit. Seven patients received surgery alone with 100% overall and disease specific survival, respectively (median follow-up 27.5 months; range 5.2-50.4). CONCLUSIONS This prospective study suggests that TORS lateral oropharyngectomy alone is an oncologically safe treatment when close or positive margins are identified on diagnostic tonsillectomy in HPV-positive SCC