It hedgehog awareness week, this week (4 – 10 May 2025), so what better time to shout about all things hedgehog!

Hedgehogs are a national treasure and despite their prickly appearance, they are a timid species that are in desperate need of our help. Did you know they have between 5,000 to 7,000 spines?

Reports show that in the last two decades, hedgehogs have declined by 8.3% yearly (National History Museum). As they’re part of our ecosystem, we should be considering how we can adapt our spaces to accommodate these adorably spiky creatures. Their role in our garden spaces can be extremely helpful as they eat pests that could be ruining your plants, fruits and vegetables.

Hedgehog Awareness Week highlights how we can help create havens for hedgehogs in our parks and green spaces. This is an important time to address these adaptations because June and July is hoglet season, so making sure the litters are safe can help ensure all of them make it to adulthood.

Image above curtesy of 1^st Sandon Cubs group, who rescued this rogue hedgehog after it was caught in fencing. The hedgehog had a quick drink of water, before it scuttled away into the overgrowth.

Supporting our hedgehog friends, here’s some top tips to consider:

1. Let the edges grow! Wild edges, log piles and leaf mounds can all be safe homes for hedgehogs and great for attracting the type of insects they love to feast on.
2. Add hedgehog gateways (also known as Hedgehog highways). Square gaps in boundary fences (approx. 13cm x 13cm) are great for allowing hedgehogs to roam between gardens and also escape danger.
3. Do not leave milk out for them! Hedgehogs, like many humans, are lactose intolerant and ingesting dairy products can have harmful effects on them and their litter.
4. Water bowls are vital. Hedgehogs, like all living things, need water to survive and in dry, warm months they could struggle to find a safe water source. So, leaving out a shallow bowl or container could help them hydrate. This also will encourage them to stay away from ponds which could prove lethal for hedgehogs if there’s not a slope or surface for them to climb upon to escape. Something to think about if you have a pond or water feature in your green space.
5. Avoid netting. Netting in many gardens is essential for ensuring the survival of plants and vegetables; however, hedgehogs can get caught in netting and it can have disastrous effects. If there is a need for netting, then placing it at least 30cm off the ground level would be a great tip to follow.
6. Avoid using pesticides. These harmful chemicals may be useful for keeping pests away, but they could be lethal to our prickly pals!

More resources:

If you see a hedgehog in distress, looking dazed or injured during the daytime then the probability is that there’s an issue that needs addressing by a hedgehog rescue or veterinary clinic. Hedgehog Haven are based in Essex and can help bring these poorly Hedgehogs back to full health so they can be released into the wild and continue their journey; https://hedgehoghavenessex.co.uk

You could also contact South Essex Wildlife Hospital: SEWH. SEWH Homepage

For more information on hedgehog awareness week, and how you can help ‘give hedgehogs the edge’ visit:  British Hedgehog Preservation Society

Article by: Issy Lyons, Marketing Officer (corporate), Chelmsford City Council

Community groups like Great Baddow hedgehogs do a fantastic job, supporting our local hedgehogs. We asked Wendy and Melissa, who run Great Baddow hedgehogs, to tell us a bit about their work and hedgehogs, here’s what they had to say:

Our community group Great Baddow Hedgehogs, started in lockdown after hearing hedgehogs in our garden, and then hearing about their decline. Hedgehogs are a staple British animal, appearing as popular characters like Beatrix Potter’s Mrs Tiggywinkle, and being nationally loved, so we decided to do something about this decline. We started in the autumn of 2023 as a mother-daughter team as part of the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Urban Wildlife Champions scheme, with a simply leafleting our neighbourhood. We now have regular meetings attend events like last summer’s love your parks events, and help with delivering talks to schools and scouts. We can’t believe how far it’s come!

Hedgehogs are a vital indicator species in our ecosystems. This means that their needs are quite simple so if they are in decline, then the whole ecosystem is deficient. Please do what you can to help them to ensure that we can always hear their nighttime snuffling! If you would like any advice or want to get in touch, please email us at greatbaddowhedgehogs@gmail.com

A big thank you to Wendy and Melissa for all the work they do and taking the time to share their story with us.