Hedgehogs have declined significantly across Europe and the UK. Understanding their welfare needs in garden environments and appropriate responses to injured hedgehogs helps support this vulnerable species.
Hedgehog welfare in human-dominated landscapes is primarily determined by the cumulative decisions of individual landowners and municipalities about garden and land management. Each connected garden, each pond with a ramp, each switched-off slug pellet, each piece of left-out dried cat food during autumn fattening season contributes to the welfare and survival of hedgehogs in that neighborhood. The fragmentation of habitat through solid fencing prevents the nightly movement that hedgehogs need. Individual welfare interventions - rehabilitation of injured animals, provision of safe hibernation sites, removal of garden hazards - are important but only systemic change in garden management practices will reverse population decline.