Wildlife

Wildlife Corridors: Connecting Habitats and Reducing Welfare Harms

Wildlife corridors between fragmented habitats allow animals to move safely, reducing road mortality, starvation, and genetic isolation.

Key Facts

Road networks in the UK total over 400,000 km, fragmenting virtually every habitat
The Natural England Nature Recovery Network aims to restore 30% of land for nature by 2030
Badger tunnels under roads have been shown to increase safe crossing rates significantly
Wildlife crossings cost between 100,000 and 10 million GBP depending on scale
Habitat connectivity is increasingly recognised as a key conservation indicator

Welfare Considerations

Habitat fragmentation traps animals in isolated patches, creating long-term starvation, social isolation, and genetic inbreeding. Animals attempting to cross roads face vehicle strike. Hedgehog highways through garden fences allow safe movement without road exposure. Badger and otter culverts prevent drowning in drainage systems. Aerial crossings benefit canopy species. Every corridor created reduces the daily toll of individual animals killed or stressed by isolation.

What You Can Do

Create hedgehog holes in garden fences (13x13 cm)
Support Wildlife Trusts campaigns for a Nature Recovery Network
Advocate for wildlife crossing inclusion in all new road and rail planning
Contribute to Hedgehog Street survey to map garden corridor progress
Support rewilding organisations creating large-scale connected habitats