Hedgehog Welfare and Garden Habitat

Hedgehog populations have declined by one third since 2000, with individual hedgehogs facing hazards in gardens and on roads that cause significant welfare harm.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations declined from 1.5 million in 1995 to under 1 million today
Strimmer injuries cause severe and often fatal wounds to hedgehogs in long grass
Slug pellets containing metaldehyde cause painful convulsions in hedgehogs that consume poisoned slugs
Garden netting and bonfires trap and kill hedgehogs each year
Hedgehog highways (13cm holes in fences) allow hedgehogs to range across multiple gardens for foraging

Welfare Considerations

Individual hedgehog welfare is affected by strimmer injuries, poisoning from slug pellets, entanglement in garden netting, vehicle collisions, and bonfire deaths. Strimmer injuries cause severe lacerations requiring veterinary treatment with poor prognosis for survival. Metaldehyde poisoning causes prolonged convulsions before death. Each of these hazards is preventable through simple garden management changes. The combination of widespread individual welfare harm and population decline makes hedgehog-friendly garden management an urgent priority.

What You Can Do

Check long grass for hedgehogs before using strimmers or mowers
Use wildlife-safe slug control methods including ferric phosphate pellets
Install hedgehog highways in garden fences to enable movement between gardens
Check bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting and avoid leaving garden netting on the ground