Wildlife

Garden Management for Hedgehog Welfare

Gardens can be significant hedgehog habitat; simple management changes that make gardens safer and more food-rich have measurable population benefits at neighbourhood scale.

Key Facts

Hedgehog populations have declined by 50% in rural areas and 30% in urban areas since 2000
Garden ponds kill dozens of hedgehogs annually through drowning without exit ramps
Slug pellets containing metaldehyde are toxic to hedgehogs that eat poisoned slugs
Bonfires and strimmer use kill large numbers of hedgehogs sheltering in vegetation

Welfare Considerations

Urban and suburban gardens collectively represent a significant hedgehog habitat resource. Individual actions — creating access holes, providing water sources, avoiding pesticides, and checking vegetation before cutting — have cumulative benefit at neighbourhood scale when adopted widely. Garden ponds are a particular hazard: hedgehogs that enter to drink cannot climb smooth sides and drown. A simple exit ramp prevents this completely at minimal cost.

What You Can Do

Create 13cm diameter hedgehog holes in garden fences and walls
Install a ramp in garden ponds to allow hedgehogs to escape if they fall in
Avoid slug pellets; check long grass and compost heaps before strimming or turning