Wild Hedgehog Garden Connectivity: The Gap in the Fence

Garden fencing that prevents hedgehog movement between green spaces is one of the most tractable barriers to hedgehog welfare, addressable by millions of households through a simple physical modification.

Key Facts

Hedgehogs need to roam 1-2 km nightly to forage and find mates; garden fencing prevents this movement
A 13x13 cm gap at the base of fencing or walls allows hedgehog passage without enabling unwanted animal access
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society runs the 'Hedgehog Street' campaign encouraging neighbours to create connected corridor gardens
Urban hedgehog populations can be functionally isolated by solid fencing networks despite living in close proximity
GPS tracking of urban hedgehogs shows that individuals use multiple connected garden networks as their territory
Gardens with access to connected networks have higher hedgehog visiting frequencies than isolated gardens
Hedgehog population modelling shows that connectivity significantly improves local population persistence
Planning requirements for hedgehog gaps in new residential development have been adopted by some UK local authorities

Welfare Considerations

The hedgehog gap is arguably the highest cost-to-benefit ratio wildlife welfare intervention available to UK households. A five-minute modification to garden fencing can open a corridor for hedgehogs that dramatically improves their ability to find food, mates, and shelter. Multiply this by millions of households and the aggregate welfare benefit is enormous. The Hedgehog Street campaign has already persuaded hundreds of thousands of households to create gaps - continued public engagement and planning requirements for hedgehog-friendly fencing in new developments would extend this welfare benefit to its full potential.

What You Can Do

Cut or create a 13x13 cm gap at the base of your garden fence or wall for hedgehog passage
Talk to your neighbours about creating connected hedgehog corridors across multiple gardens
Register your garden on the Hedgehog Street website to join the national connectivity mapping project
Advocate for local planning requirements for hedgehog-friendly fencing in new housing developments
Share information about hedgehog gaps on social media and in local community groups