UK hedgehog populations have fallen dramatically since the 1950s. Understanding the multiple drivers of decline informs effective conservation strategies at landscape and garden scale.
Population-level hedgehog decline translates directly into welfare impacts on individual animals. As habitat becomes more fragmented, hedgehogs must travel further to find food and mates, increasing road crossing frequency and mortality. Reduced invertebrate prey from pesticide use causes poor body condition entering hibernation, with many hedgehogs failing to accumulate sufficient fat reserves for winter survival. Isolated garden populations without connectivity cannot maintain the genetic diversity and social encounters that support healthy populations. Conservation action that improves individual habitat quality and connectivity simultaneously improves the welfare of individual hedgehogs and addresses population recovery.