Urban Hedgehog Connectivity: Garden Highways for Wildlife

Hedgehog populations in the UK have declined dramatically over recent decades. Creating connected garden habitats through simple structural modifications can significantly improve hedgehog welfare and survival rates.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations have declined by approximately 50% since 2000, with urban populations declining more slowly than rural ones
Hedgehogs require access to approximately 1-2 square kilometers of territory for foraging, mating, and hibernation site selection
Solid garden boundaries - walls, solid fencing - fragment habitat and prevent the movement hedgehogs require
A 13x13cm gap at the base of a fence, called a 'hedgehog highway', allows passage while maintaining garden boundaries
The Hedgehog Street campaign has helped thousands of households create connected wildlife corridors across the UK
Garden ponds without escape ramps are a significant source of hedgehog drowning mortality
Slug pellets containing metaldehyde or methiocarb are directly toxic to hedgehogs
Leaving areas of garden with leaf litter, log piles, and undisturbed vegetation provides essential hibernation habitat

Welfare Considerations

Urban hedgehogs are essentially living in a series of isolated islands - gardens separated by impassable barriers. This fragmentation prevents natural movement for foraging, mate-finding, and hibernation site selection, leading to malnutrition, reduced reproductive success, and higher mortality rates. The remarkable thing about hedgehog conservation is how simple and low-cost the solutions are. A small hole in a fence, an escape ramp in a pond, and pesticide-free gardening practices can transform a garden from a dead end to a thriving part of a wildlife corridor.

What You Can Do

Add a hedgehog highway hole to your garden fence and register it with the Hedgehog Street scheme
Install a ramp or exit route in any garden ponds to prevent drowning
Switch to wildlife-safe pest control and eliminate slug pellets from your garden
Maintain areas of natural vegetation, leaf piles, and log piles to provide habitat and hibernation sites