Urban Wildlife

Urban Hedgehog Welfare: Garden Corridors and Hazards

Hedgehog populations have declined by over 50% in the UK since 2000, with urban hazards including garden netting, strimmers, and road traffic among the leading causes of injury and death.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations fell from 30 million in the 1950s to under 1 million today
Hedgehogs travel up to 2km per night foraging for food
Garden netting causes entanglement injuries and death regularly
Slug pellets containing metaldehyde poison hedgehogs that eat affected slugs
Hedgehogs hibernate October-April and disturbed hibernators face starvation

Welfare Considerations

Urban hedgehogs face a gauntlet of human-created hazards including strimmers, bonfires, garden chemicals, and impenetrable fencing. Injured hedgehogs often suffer for days before being found. Simple habitat modifications and hazard removal can dramatically improve urban hedgehog survival and welfare.

What You Can Do

Create a 13cm hole in garden fencing to allow hedgehog movement
Check bonfire piles before lighting for sheltering hedgehogs
Avoid metaldehyde slug pellets; use ferric phosphate alternatives
Leave wild corners of garden with leaves and log piles for nesting
Contact a wildlife rehabilitator if you find an injured or daytime-active hedgehog