Wildlife

Wild Hedgehog Urban Garden Connectivity

Hedgehog populations depend on garden connectivity for ranging and breeding, and garden barriers fragment their movement across urban landscapes.

Key Facts

Hedgehogs may range 2-3 km per night during the active season
Garden fences and walls are major barriers to hedgehog movement
A 13cm hole in garden fencing allows hedgehog passage without permitting larger animals
Hedgehog highways - linked garden corridors - have been established in many urban areas
Food availability and hibernation sites both depend on garden access

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehogs unable to range across gardens find inadequate food and cannot locate mates. Isolated in single gardens, they are more likely to die from starvation or reproductive failure. Garden connectivity through hedgehog holes in fences is one of the simplest and most effective urban wildlife welfare actions.

What You Can Do

Make a 13cm hole in your fence to allow hedgehog passage
Register your hedgehog hole on the Big Hedgehog Map
Encourage neighbours to create connected garden corridors