Hedgehog Welfare in the UK: Decline and Garden Conservation

Hedgehog populations in the UK have declined by approximately one third since 2000. Garden management and road hazards are among the key drivers, but individuals can make meaningful differences for local populations.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations have fallen from approximately 36 million in the 1950s to under 1 million today
Road mortality is a significant cause of hedgehog death — hedgehogs cross roads in search of mates and food
Garden boundaries (solid fencing) prevent hedgehog movement across territories needed for foraging and breeding
Slug pellets containing metaldehyde were banned in the UK in 2022 due to wildlife toxicity including hedgehog poisoning
Hedgehogs eat slugs, beetles, and earthworms — they are beneficial garden companions naturally
Artificial feeding with cat or dog food (not milk, which causes diarrhoea) can support hedgehogs during drought
Hedgehog Street initiative has created thousands of "hedgehog highways" (small gaps in garden fences) across the UK

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehog welfare in the UK is inseparable from garden and road management. Individual hedgehogs face death from vehicle collision, entanglement in garden netting, slug pellet poisoning, and starvation in fragmented habitats. Bonfire season poses a specific risk — hedgehogs shelter in unlit bonfires and are burned alive. Many welfare harms to hedgehogs are preventable at the household level — garden management decisions by individuals aggregate to significant population-level impacts.

What You Can Do

Create a 13cm x 13cm hedgehog highway in your garden fence to allow neighbourhood movement
Check bonfires and leaf piles for hedgehogs before lighting — or build fires fresh on the day
Avoid using slug pellets and pesticides that reduce hedgehog prey availability
Provide fresh water and supplementary cat or dog food during drought and summer months
Check grass before mowing and strimming — hedgehogs nest in long grass and can be severely injured
Support Hedgehog Street and local hedgehog rescue organisations