Wildlife

Bonfire and Garden Safety for Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs are among the most common victims of garden bonfires and strimmers. Their defensive instinct to curl up rather than flee makes them uniquely vulnerable to these hazards.

Key Facts

Hedgehogs build hibernation nests from exactly the materials used to build bonfires: leaves, twigs, and grass
An estimated 100,000 hedgehogs die in UK garden bonfires each year
Strimmers cause horrific injuries to hedgehogs hidden in long grass
Hedgehog populations in the UK have declined by 73% since 2000

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehogs trapped inside bonfire stacks suffer burns, smoke inhalation, and traumatic injuries when fires are lit. Their instinct to curl up rather than run makes rescue near-impossible once a fire starts. Strimmer injuries frequently involve loss of limbs, lacerations, and fatal trauma to animals that cannot flee fast enough. Garden netting entanglement causes slow strangulation or limb loss. All of these harms are entirely preventable with simple precautions.

What You Can Do

Always build bonfires on the day they are to be lit, never in advance
Check the entire bonfire pile with a torch before lighting and move it to a new location
Strim grass in the afternoon when hedgehogs are less likely to be resting and check before starting
Remove or raise netting to at least 10cm off the ground to allow hedgehog passage