Hedgehog Urban Ecology and Garden Welfare

Urban hedgehog populations depend critically on human infrastructure and behaviour. Simple garden modifications can dramatically improve hedgehog welfare and survival.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations have declined by over 50% since the 1950s, with urban populations now a significant conservation refuge
Hedgehogs require territories of 30-100 hectares, traversing multiple garden boundaries each night
Garden fencing prevents hedgehog movement, with a 13x13 cm gap at ground level allowing free passage
Night-active hedgehogs are vulnerable to slug pellets, strimmers, and garden bonfires which cause severe injuries and death
Providing fresh water and supplementary food (meat-based cat or dog food) significantly improves hedgehog condition in dry summers
Hedgehog hibernation from October to March requires suitable undisturbed sites such as log piles and leaf heaps

Welfare Considerations

Urban hedgehogs suffer from a thousand small cuts inflicted by well-intentioned but uninformed garden management. Pesticides poison their prey, neat gardens remove hibernation sites, and solid fences create isolated populations. Yet the solutions are simple, free, and benefit other wildlife too. Every garden that creates a hedgehog hole, removes slug pellets, and leaves a wild corner becomes part of a hedgehog corridor. The cumulative effect of many small changes in many gardens can reverse local population declines.

What You Can Do

Create a 13x13 cm hedgehog hole in your garden fence to allow free movement
Stop using slug pellets - use physical barriers or copper tape instead
Leave a wild corner with leaf litter and log piles for hibernation sites
Check for hedgehogs before strimming, mowing, or lighting bonfires
Join the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and contribute to hedgehog monitoring