Wild Hedgehog Garden Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Western European hedgehogs face significant population declines partly from garden management practices. Simple garden changes can provide vital habitat and reduce hazards for these insectivorous mammals.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations have declined by approximately 50% since 2000, with agricultural intensification and habitat fragmentation as key drivers
Garden populations can be significant - hedgehogs travel up to 2km nightly through networks of linked gardens
Solid garden fencing creates barriers preventing hedgehog movement between gardens
Hedgehogs need to travel to find mates, food, and nesting sites across multiple garden territories
Common garden hazards include strimmers (mowing before checking for resting hedgehogs), ponds without exit ramps, and slug pellets
Metaldehyde and ferric phosphate slug pellets both pose hedgehog risk - the latter was considered safer but new evidence has emerged
Bonfires constructed and then immediately lit are a significant hedgehog mortality cause
Garden insecticide and pesticide use reduces the invertebrate prey base hedgehogs depend on

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehog welfare in garden environments is affected by both direct hazards causing acute injury and death, and habitat factors that reduce the availability of food and shelter needed for healthy survival. A hedgehog injured by a strimmer or trapped in a pond without an exit ramp suffers acutely; a hedgehog in a garden network without connectivity has chronically reduced access to food, mates, and nesting opportunities that affects lifetime welfare. The welfare case for hedgehog-friendly gardening is compelling because the cumulative effect of millions of individuals making garden changes creates significant wildlife welfare benefit at population scale. Simple, low-cost interventions - hedgehog holes in fencing, pond exit ramps, compost heap checks before disturbance - make meaningful differences.

What You Can Do

Create a hedgehog hole (13cm x 13cm) in garden fencing to connect with neighbors' gardens
Install a ramp or exit point in garden ponds to prevent hedgehog drowning
Check thoroughly before strimming grass or disturbing compost heaps where hedgehogs shelter
Avoid metaldehyde slug pellets and reduce pesticide use that depletes hedgehog prey
Put out water during dry spells and supplement food with meat-based cat food (not milk or bread)