Renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough is calling on UK gardeners to make a simple, low-cost modification to their property lines. This aims to rescue Britain’s rapidly declining hedgehog population. Highlighting the initiative in a BBC YouTube video as part of the Wild London series, Attenborough explained how tightly enclosed residential gardens severely restrict the movement of these small mammals as they search for essential food sources and mates.
Hedgehog numbers across the UK have faced a sharp downturn since 2000, with rural populations dropping by as much as 75%. However, urban areas have increasingly served as vital sanctuaries. Despite this, standard garden fencing acts as a major physical barrier. It traps animals in isolated green spaces and limits their ability to thrive. To combat this, conservationists are advocating for the creation of “hedgehog highways” by linking neighboring yards together.
How to Create a Hedgehog Highway Step-by-Step
Modifying a standard wooden garden fence to let hedgehogs pass through safely requires minimal tools and effort:
- Measure the Opening: Mark a 13cm by 13cm square-roughly the size of a standard CD case-at ground level on your fence panel.
- Cut the Square: Use a small saw or a sharp utility knife to carefully cut out the marked section at the base of the fence.
- Smooth the Edges: Sand down any rough timber edges using sandpaper to ensure the animals do not scrape or injure themselves while passing through.
Alternative Fencing Modifications
Not all yards feature traditional wooden panels, but homeowners can still easily adapt alternative boundary structures:
- Brick Fences: Remove a single brick at the base of the wall to create a safe tunnel opening.
- Concrete Gravel Boards: Dig a shallow channel underneath the concrete board or use a core drill to bore a 13cm hole directly through the material.
Attenborough also encourages neighbors to coordinate with one another. This ensures that holes are cut across multiple properties, establishing a continuous and safe travel network. Providing supplemental food, such as leaving out up to 100 grams of appropriate food per night, can further assist hedgehogs traversing urban neighborhoods during mating and foraging seasons.
