Wildlife Welfare

UK Hedgehog Population Decline: Causes and Conservation

UK hedgehog populations have declined by approximately 50% since 2000, making this beloved garden species one of the country's most threatened mammals.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations fell from approximately 30 million in the 1950s to under 1 million today
Road mortality, loss of hedgerow habitat, pesticide use and garden tidiness are primary drivers
Hedgehogs travel 1-2 km nightly and require unfragmented habitat to find food and mates
Garden fencing without hedgehog holes is a significant barrier to movement
Hedgehog hospitals care for thousands of sick and injured hedgehogs each year

Welfare Considerations

Declining hedgehog populations represent both individual welfare harm (road casualties cause traumatic deaths) and conservation concern for a charismatic native species. Individual welfare improvements (garden habitat, hazard reduction) aggregate to population-level conservation benefits. The hedgehog is a flagship species for broader concerns about UK biodiversity and farmland wildlife.

What You Can Do

Create a hedgehog hole (13cm x 13cm) in your garden fence or wall
Reduce pesticide use in your garden to protect hedgehog food sources
Check bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting
Support British Hedgehog Preservation Society and local hedgehog hospitals