UK hedgehog populations remain under pressure from habitat loss and fragmentation. Understanding their status informs effective conservation action.
Hedgehogs that cannot move through fragmented urban landscapes struggle to find food, mates, and hibernation sites. Increased energy expenditure in searching for resources reduces welfare. Garden connectivity programs that create hedgehog highways through fencing, combined with pesticide-free gardening that supports invertebrate prey, directly improve individual hedgehog welfare and population connectivity.