The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has issued an urgent plea to UK homeowners, urging them to make a simple yet potentially life-saving modification to their garden fences. The wildlife conservation charity is calling on the public to help reverse the dramatic decline of hedgehog populations by creating dedicated passageways known as 'hedgehog highways'.
A Simple Fence Modification Can Make a Major Difference
In a recent social media alert, WWF UK explained that a small action by individual gardeners could collectively create a significant positive impact for local wildlife. The charity specifically highlighted the critical need to assist hedgehogs, whose numbers have suffered a catastrophic collapse across the British countryside and urban areas.
The Alarming Decline of a British Icon
Official figures reveal a deeply concerning trend for the nation's hedgehogs. Since 1995, hedgehog populations have declined by more than 65%, with the fragmentation and loss of natural habitat identified as a primary threat. This sharp decrease has placed the beloved nocturnal mammal under severe pressure, making community-led conservation efforts more vital than ever.
"Gardens provide hedgehogs with really important habitat," stated a WWF spokesperson. "Enabling them to roam further along a safe garden highway will give them a better chance to thrive. Their numbers are continuing to fall, so it's really important we help them."
How to Build Your Own Hedgehog Highway
The recommended modification is straightforward and requires minimal effort. Homeowners are advised to create a small gap at the bottom of their garden fence or wall, approximately 13 centimetres by 13 centimetres in size—roughly the dimensions of a standard CD case. This allows hedgehogs to pass freely between neighbouring gardens, significantly expanding their foraging territory.
"As the weather warms up and these wonderful little wanderers resurface after hibernating, they may reappear in your neighbourhood," the WWF's guidance explains. "Your challenge, if you have a garden, is to make it part of a 'hedgehog highway' by making a hole about the size of a CD case at the bottom of your fence, or a similar sized small channel under it, to allow any local hedgehogs to roam further in search of food."
The charity strongly emphasises the importance of consulting with neighbours before making any alterations to shared boundary fences, ensuring a cooperative approach to creating a connected network of gardens.
Additional Ways to Support Garden Hedgehogs
Beyond creating passageways, WWF suggests several other measures to make gardens more hedgehog-friendly:
- Create a Wild Corner: Leaving a section of the garden untamed, allowing grass and plants to grow longer, provides excellent shelter and nesting materials for hedgehogs.
- Provide Water Sources: During warmer months, hedgehogs need accessible water. Shallow-sided ponds or simple saucers of fresh water can be a lifeline.
- Welcome Natural Pest Control: Hedgehogs often feed on invertebrates like slugs and snails, which gardeners typically consider pests. By supporting hedgehogs, you may receive natural pest control in return.
Extending Wildlife Support Beyond Hedgehogs
The call to aid garden wildlife extends beyond hedgehogs, especially during the challenging winter months. Organisations like the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) highlight that birds also face significant hardships when temperatures drop.
"When it's really cold, birds need more energy to stay warm," the RSPB notes. "But in winter there's less daylight to find food and many of their usual sources run low."
Homeowners can support avian visitors by putting out suitable food. Kitchen scraps such as mild grated cheese, bruised fruit, cooked rice, unsalted hard fat, roast potatoes, and dry porridge oats are welcomed by many garden bird species. For a more substantial offering, creating homemade, high-energy bird cakes from full-fat ingredients can provide crucial sustenance.
By taking these relatively simple steps, UK gardeners can play a direct and meaningful role in supporting local biodiversity, helping to safeguard vulnerable species like the hedgehog for future generations.
