Wildlife

Hedgehog Urban Population Monitoring and Support

Urban hedgehog populations are an important conservation resource requiring community monitoring and habitat support.

Key Facts

Urban hedgehog densities can exceed rural densities in suitable suburban habitat
Garden connectivity, food availability and reduced traffic exposure support urban populations
The Big Hedgehog Map and Hedgehog Street project collect citizen science population data
Urban foxes and badgers predate hedgehogs and can limit urban population densities
Road traffic remains a significant mortality cause for urban hedgehogs

Welfare Considerations

Individual urban hedgehogs face hazards including road traffic, strimmer injuries, bonfire deaths and garden chemical exposure. Population-level welfare requires community action to create connected, food-rich and hazard-reduced urban environments.

What You Can Do

Register your garden as Hedgehog Friendly with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society
Create hedgehog highways between gardens with your neighbours
Log hedgehog sightings at hedgehogstreet.org to support population monitoring
Check compost heaps and bonfires for hedgehogs before disturbing them