Hedgehog populations have declined dramatically in Britain, and garden-level interventions to improve urban hedgehog welfare can make a meaningful contribution to population recovery.
Urban hedgehog welfare improvements are highly accessible to individual householders - uniquely so compared to most wildlife welfare interventions. Creating a 13cm square 'hedgehog highway' gap in garden fences allows movement between gardens. Removing or modifying hazards like steep-sided ponds, netting at ground level, and covered drains prevents entrapment deaths. Supplementary feeding with wet cat or dog food (not bread or milk) provides winter fat reserves. Garden bonfires are hazardous - hedgehogs nest in leaf piles and should be moved before lighting. These simple, inexpensive interventions directly improve individual hedgehog welfare and support population connectivity.