Helping hedgehogs thrive again

Once a familiar resident in our fields and gardens, we’ve sadly seen a decline in hedgehog numbers in some rural areas by as much as 75%. Loss of nesting sites, shrinking hedgerows and a drop in invertebrates – beetles, caterpillars, earwigs and worms – are putting these much-loved animals under serious pressure. 

We know that conservation works. In towns and villages, hedgehogs are beginning to stabilise thanks to people taking action through Hedgehog Street, our joint campaign with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. More than 133,000 Hedgehog Champions have got involved, and over 23,000 Hedgehog Highways now help these nocturnal visitors move safely between gardens. It’s proof that when people come together for wildlife, we see real change. 

But rural hedgehogs are still in trouble. Their decline tells us something important: when hedgehogs struggle, the wider countryside is struggling too. To turn things around, we need connected habitats, healthy hedgerows and landscapes rich in invertebrates, and we need to work with the people who manage those landscapes every day. 

Thanks to our supporters, we’ve taken a major step forward. We’ve welcomed Morag Boyd, our new Rural Hedgehog Officer, who’s working directly with farmers and landowners to, over time, restore the places hedgehogs depend on. By improving hedgerows, creating nesting sites and increasing insect-rich field margins, we can make a real difference at the scale hedgehogs need. 

Your donation today will help create and protect the habitats that rural hedgehogs rely on. You’ll be supporting practical conservation, vital research to understand where help is needed most, and on-the-ground work with the farmers who can deliver long-lasting change. 

Hedgehogs have long been part of the landscapes we care about. Your support today will help protect the habitats they depend on, so they remain a familiar part of our countryside for generations to come. 

Thank you.

Header image credit Christopher Morgan