Wildlife Welfare

Hedgehog Welfare: Helping a Declining Species

Hedgehogs are declining rapidly in the UK, with individuals facing welfare threats from garden hazards, road mortality, and habitat loss.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations have declined by approximately 50% since 2000
Road mortality is a major source of hedgehog deaths in suburban areas
Garden hazards including netting, ponds, and bonfires cause preventable hedgehog injuries
Hedgehog highways linking gardens enable population connectivity
Slug pellets containing metaldehyde and methiocarb are toxic to hedgehogs

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehog welfare is a case where simple household actions can have significant individual and population impact. Garden hazards are preventable, habitat connectivity is achievable through simple fence gaps, and pesticide choices directly affect survival. The accumulated effect of many households taking simple welfare-positive actions creates meaningful population-level benefits for this rapidly declining species.

What You Can Do

Create a hedgehog highway gap in garden fences connected to neighboring gardens
Never use metaldehyde or methiocarb slug pellets which are toxic to hedgehogs
Check bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting and pile leaves away from fire sites
Provide hedgehog-friendly pond access and check netting and sports netting regularly