Hedgehogs are becoming increasingly reliant on urban and suburban gardens. Urban populations of hedgehogs have increased by up to a third, while rural populations have halved. 

Our My Wild Cardiff Officer said, “The urban environment has become a crucial haven for lots of different wildlife, but particularly for our hedgehogs. In recent years, hedgehogs have been pushed out of rural areas due to changes in land-use, and now populations rely on our towns and cities as places to call home. That’s why it’s more important than ever to protect our prickly neighbours, and we can all play our part in making our gardens, roads, and public spaces a safer place for hedgehogs.”

We’re working to make Cardiff a more hedgehog friendly city. We are providing education sessions to teach children how to build hedgehog homes. We have collaborated with Cardiff University's Hedgehog Friendly Campus group. We are part of communities working to improve habitat connectivity across the city.

So, whether you live in town or country, you can help to look after hedgehogs by following our tips below! 

Check your bonfire

It's important to check your bonfire for hibernating hedgehogs. Bonfires are very dangerous for hedgehogs as woodpiles are ideal places for shelter. Here are 4 tips to help you avoid harming hedgehogs in your bonfire pile:

1. Store materials for your bonfire in a safe place – then on the day you want to light it, move them to a different patch of ground.
2. Build the bonfire on the same day that you will light it. The longer it’s left for, the more likely it is that a hedgehog will wander in.
3. Always place the bonfire on open ground – never on a pile of leaves as a hedgehog may be hiding underneath.
4. Always check the entire bonfire for hedgehogs before lighting it. They tend to hide in the base of the centre of the pile.

If you do find a hedgehog then move slowly and calmly. Pick it up with gardening gloves, along with any nesting material it may have been sitting in, and place it in a cardboard box lined with newspaper. Relocate the box to a safe location and release the hedgehog under a bush or log pile.

Build a hedgehog house

You can help hedgehogs by providing a safe places for them to hibernate. You can build a hedgehog house or make a log pile or compost heap. 

Find out how to make a hedgehog house here.

Make a hedgehog hole

Hedgehogs need to be able to roam far and wide in search of food, other hogs and nesting sites - the average hedgehog roams 2km a night! Get together with your neighbours to make a hole in your fence or dig a channel beneath garden boundaries to connect your gardens.

Find out how to make a hedgehog hole here.

Feed your hogs

Constantly putting out food can make wild mammals reliant on unnatural food sources. But putting out a bit of food during winter allows them to top up any low stocks, and gives them a helping hand through the cold and harsh weather. You can use out plain kitten biscuits or meat-based wet dog or cat food. It is important not to leave bread and milk out for hedgehogs as it can cause diarrhoea. Put out fresh food at dusk and don't forget a dish of fresh water! 

Find more information here.

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