Wildlife

Hedgehog Garden Welfare Support

Garden management decisions by millions of householders can collectively make a significant difference to hedgehog welfare and populations.

Key Facts

Gardens now represent a significant proportion of hedgehog habitat in urban and suburban areas
Hedgehog populations in gardens are supported by slug and beetle availability
Leaf piles and log stacks provide hibernation sites for hedgehogs in gardens
Garden netting and ponds can trap and drown hedgehogs if not managed safely
Connecting gardens through hedgehog holes creates essential habitat networks

Welfare Considerations

Garden welfare support for hedgehogs can meaningfully improve individual and population welfare in residential areas. Simple actions including creating hedgehog holes, leaving wild corners, avoiding pesticides, and checking for hedgehogs before bonfires or mowing collectively provide significant welfare benefit. The coordinated actions of many individual gardeners create habitat networks essential for urban hedgehog populations.

What You Can Do

Create 13cm holes in garden fences to allow hedgehog movement between gardens
Leave a wild corner with leaves and logs as hedgehog habitat
Avoid slug pellets and other pesticides that reduce hedgehog prey or poison them directly
Check bonfires and compost heaps for hedgehogs before disturbing them
Install a Hedgehog Street sign to coordinate a connected neighbourhood hedgehog network