Supporting Wild Mammals in Gardens

Domestic gardens can provide vital habitat for wild mammals including hedgehogs, foxes, bats, and dormice when managed with wildlife in mind.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations have declined by 50% since 2000, but garden populations are more stable than rural populations
A network of connected gardens can support hedgehogs ranging over 2 km per night
Wildlife-friendly gardening practices including log piles, native plants, and pond provision support diverse mammal communities
Fox populations in UK cities are estimated at over 150,000 animals, all relying on urban green space

Welfare Considerations

Gardens represent a significant and undervalued wildlife habitat resource for wild mammals. Connected gardens form ecological networks through which hedgehogs, voles, mice, and bats can range and feed. Wildlife gardening practices that provide food resources, shelter, and connectivity dramatically increase the welfare of wild mammals by reducing starvation, exposure, and predation risk. Simple interventions including hedgehog highway gaps in fences, log and leaf pile provision, native planting, and avoiding pesticides create conditions where wild mammals can thrive alongside human communities.

What You Can Do

Cut a 13cm gap in your fence to allow hedgehog movement between gardens
Create log piles and leaf mounds as shelter for mammals and invertebrates
Plant native hedging species like hawthorn and hazel as food and shelter corridors
Avoid slug pellets and rodenticides that can poison mammals directly or through prey species