Welfare of Wild Hedgehogs During Garden Management

Common garden activities pose welfare risks to hedgehogs including bonfire building, lawnmowing, and use of slug pellets containing toxic compounds.

Key Facts

Hedgehogs use garden compost heaps and log piles as shelter and hibernation sites
Bonfire pile-building season coincides with peak hedgehog hibernation periods
Metaldehyde slug pellets are toxic to hedgehogs and have been banned in the UK
Strimmer injuries cause horrific wounds to hedgehogs hiding in long grass
Hedgehogs benefit enormously from connected garden networks with hedgehog holes

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehogs face severe welfare threats from common garden activities conducted without awareness of their presence. Lit bonfires kill hedgehogs that had sheltered inside the pile, often causing slow burning deaths. Strimmers lacerating hidden hedgehogs cause terrible injuries. Metaldehyde and some other pesticides cause convulsions and death. These welfare harms are preventable through simple behavioral changes requiring minimal effort. The declining hedgehog population means each individual that survives garden hazards is ecologically significant.

What You Can Do

Check bonfire piles for hedgehogs immediately before lighting by moving material
Strim from the center outward and check long grass before using motorized cutters
Switch to iron phosphate slug pellets rather than metaldehyde products
Create hedgehog highway holes in fencing at ground level between gardens