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Hedgehog population plummets in UK countryside, research suggests

Hedgehog Street A hedgehog eating pet food in an urban gardenHedgehog Street
Putting out food and creating shelter can make gardens "havens" for hedgehogs

The population of hedgehogs in rural Britain is continuing a "steep decline" according to research.

The State of Britain's Hedgehogs report found numbers are down in rural areas by between 30% and 75% since 2000.

It is a "stark contrast" in towns and cities though, where the data showed that hedgehog populations may be starting to recover.

The familiar, prickly mammals need hedgerows and field margins; loss of those could be driving the decline.

The report, by wildlife charities the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), used data gathered between 1981 and 2020 from five ongoing surveys. This showed that hedgehogs have undergone a long historic decline, but that there are now "vast differences" between urban and rural populations.

Jo Carr A hedgehog in a garden at nightJo Carr
Hedgehogs can travel about one mile (1.6km) every night through gardens in search of food and mates

Fay Vass, chief executive of BHPS, said that urgent action was needed to understand why rural areas no longer provide suitable hedgehog habitat.

"They have lived here for at least half a million years," she said. "So we need to understand how conservationists, farmers and land managers can work together to prevent hedgehogs from becoming extinct in the countryside."

The charities say that the picture in cities, towns and villages is, perhaps surprisingly, much more positive.

Sean Hill A "hedgehog highway" in a garden fenceSean Hill
Hedgehogs can use "highways" in urban garden fences

While road mortality is highest around urban areas, well managed, wildlife-friendly gardens and parks can provide refuges for the animals.

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How to make your garden hedgehog-friendly

  • Make sure your garden is connected - with gaps in any fences - so hedgehogs can move between green spaces
  • Leave a corner of your garden "wild"
  • Check hedges and undergrowth before strimming or clipping
  • Make a home for hedgehogs to hibernate

Source: BHPS

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Grace Johnson runs an urban conservation campaign called Hedgehog Street, an effort to help people make sure their gardens provide a connected network of habitat in urban spaces. She said that the familiar mammals can travel about one mile (1.6km) every night through gardens and parks in search of food and mates.

"Gardens can be havens for hedgehogs, but only if they are connected via gaps in or under garden boundaries to let hedgehogs in and out.

"A 'hedgehog highway' (a 13cm/5in or CD-case-sized square gap) will enable hedgehogs to roam between neighbouring gardens and green spaces, which is vital to their survival."