Hedgehog Hibernation Welfare: Supporting Garden Hedgehogs Through Winter

British hedgehogs hibernate from November to March, and garden management during this period significantly affects their survival rates and health upon emergence in spring.

Key Facts

Hedgehogs typically hibernate between November and March, depending on temperatures
Body weight at hibernation is critical - hedgehogs below 450-500g often do not survive winter
Garden hazards during hibernation include bonfires, compost heaps, strimmers, and flooding
Mild winters caused by climate change disrupt hibernation, causing energy depletion
Hedgehog numbers have declined by over 50% in rural areas since 2000, with urban populations more stable

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehogs that fail to reach sufficient weight before winter enter hibernation poorly equipped to survive the energy demands of sustained low body temperature. Premature arousal from hibernation - triggered by warm spells - wastes critical fat reserves. Garden hazards kill thousands annually: bonfires conceal sleeping hedgehogs; strimmers injure those sheltering in undergrowth. Providing supplementary food in autumn, a hedgehog house, and checking before lighting bonfires directly saves lives.

What You Can Do

Check bonfires before lighting by moving them to a new location just before use
Leave areas of garden with leaf litter and log piles as potential hibernation sites
Provide supplementary hedgehog food (meat-based cat food or hedgehog food) in autumn to build weight
Create hedgehog holes in fences to allow movement between gardens
If you find a small hedgehog late in autumn, weigh it - under 450g may need wildlife rescue