Overview
- Arbtech cites a UK population of fewer than one million hedgehogs, down from about 30 million in the 1950s.
- A recent Arbtech survey found 48% of people in Britain have not seen a hedgehog in the wild within the last five years.
- Ecologists identify habitat loss, vehicle collisions, and pesticide exposure as major pressures on the species.
- Recent reports point to signs of recovery in urban areas, while rural populations continue to decline.
- Households are advised to create fence gaps, provide leaf or log piles or hedgehog houses, set up covered feeding stations with kitten biscuits or meat-based pet food, supply fresh water not milk, avoid slug pellets, and contact local rescues for sick or injured animals.