Wild Hedgehog Population Surveys and Conservation

Hedgehog populations in the UK and Europe have declined by up to 50 percent since 2000, and systematic monitoring is essential to understanding where interventions are most needed.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog numbers have fallen from an estimated 30 million in the 1950s to under 1 million today
Urban hedgehog populations are declining more slowly than rural populations in some regions
Road deaths kill an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 hedgehogs annually in the UK alone
Garden fragmentation by solid fencing prevents hedgehogs from accessing the 2 to 3 kilometre ranges they need
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society coordinates citizen science hedgehog surveys
Camera traps and footprint tracking tunnels allow non-invasive population monitoring
Pesticide use reduces the invertebrate prey base that hedgehogs depend on for survival

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehog population decline represents a welfare crisis at scale — millions of individuals affected by habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and prey depletion. Individual hedgehogs suffer from road injuries that leave them with internal trauma, broken limbs, and slow death. Those unable to find sufficient food in autumn fail to build the fat reserves needed for hibernation and die of cold. Garden chemicals including slug pellets and rodenticides accumulate in hedgehogs and cause neurological damage. Systematic population monitoring helps identify the local drivers of decline so interventions can be targeted effectively.

What You Can Do

Participate in the British Hedgehog Preservation Society hedgehog street survey
Cut a 13 by 13 centimetre hole in garden fences to create hedgehog corridors
Stop using metaldehyde slug pellets which are toxic to hedgehogs and other wildlife
Create log piles and leaf heaps as hedgehog hibernation habitat in your garden
Report road casualties to the Wildlife Information Network to contribute to population data