Hedgehog Winter Welfare and Garden Help

Hedgehog populations have declined sharply in the UK, and garden management practices that support winter survival can make a meaningful difference for this beloved native species.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog numbers have declined by approximately 50 percent since the year 2000
Hedgehogs hibernate from November to March in nests of leaves and other plant material
Key threats include habitat fragmentation, loss of foraging habitat, garden fencing, and road mortality
Hedgehogs are highly mobile and can travel one to two kilometres in a single night
Bonfire sites are dangerous; hedgehogs use loose leaf and wood piles as pre-hibernation refuges
Providing gaps in garden fences allows hedgehog movement between fragmented habitat patches

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehogs face multiple welfare threats in the modern UK landscape. Hunger during the pre-hibernation period impairs body condition and reduces survival probability during winter. Individuals that enter hibernation underweight are unlikely to survive. Entanglement in garden netting causes injury and death. Bonfire burning injures or kills hedgehogs sheltering in apparently safe sites. Garden ponds without escape routes cause drowning. Each of these threats causes acute suffering that could be prevented by simple management changes. Connecting garden habitats through fencing gaps enables hedgehogs to access the larger foraging ranges their welfare requires.

What You Can Do

Create a 13cm hole in your garden fence to allow hedgehog access to neighbouring gardens
Leave a wild area with leaf piles and log stacks for hibernation refuge creation
Check bonfires and compost heaps carefully for sleeping hedgehogs before lighting or disturbing
Provide a shallow dish of water and supplementary food such as meaty cat food in autumn
Install a hedgehog highway with your neighbours to create a connected corridor