New Zealand introduced hedgehogs for pests; now they threaten native wildlife

What was once seen as a useful garden helper in New Zealand has become an unexpected threat to some of the country's most vulnerable wildlife. European hedgehogs were deliberately introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century, with acclimatisation societies releasing them in the hope that they would help control garden pests. In 1885, hedgehogs were liberated in Dunedin and Christchurch for this purpose, according to Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. More than 140 years later, the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is viewed very differently. New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) describes hedgehogs as one of the major threats to the country's unique and threatened ecosystems, particularly because they prey on eggs, chicks, lizards and native invertebrates.From garden helper to invasive predatorWhen hedgehogs were introduced, the thinking was straightforward: the animals could eat creatures such as slugs and snails that damaged gardens.