The German Animal Welfare Federation is appealing to all animal lovers to keep an eye out for hedgehogs that are out and about during the day – behavior that can indicate distress in these crepuscular animals at this time of year. Due to fragmented habitats, pesticides, and climate change, fewer and fewer hedgehogs are finding enough food to prepare for hibernation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has also recognized how dramatic the situation is. At the end of 2024, it classified the hibernator as “potentially endangered” for the first time in its Red List of Threatened Species.
“Road traffic, habitat loss, and the decline in insects due to pesticides are hitting hedgehogs particularly hard,” says James Brückner, head of the wildlife department at the German Animal Welfare Federation. “In addition, many hedgehogs are born in late summer. For these young animals, the narrow time window until winter is often not enough to build up sufficient fat reserves for hibernation.”
CHANGED LIVING CONDITIONS MAKE SURVIVAL DIFFICULT
Living conditions for hedgehogs have changed dramatically. When insects disappear because flowering plants do not grow on intensively farmed land and chemicals are used in fields, the animals lose their main source of food. Hedgehogs also find it difficult to hide in many tidy gardens because there are no leaves, brushwood, or hedges. Those who use robotic lawnmowers at night put the animals at additional risk. Road traffic also remains one of the greatest dangers—hundreds of thousands of hedgehogs die every year.
WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTERS AT THEIR LIMIT
Wildlife rescue centers usually work with volunteers and are largely self-financed. There is no provision for state support, such as through the “Future Pact for Volunteering” adopted by the federal government. “No one feels responsible for wild animals, the helpers are left to their own devices,” criticizes Brückner. Meanwhile, the number of hedgehogs in need of help continues to rise at wildlife stations and specialized care centers; many are at the limits of their capacity. “We receive many inquiries from people who have found young or weakened hedgehogs,” reports Dr. Katrin Umlauf, head of the Weidefeld Animal Welfare Center of the German Animal Welfare Federation. “We currently have 15 animals living with us that would not survive the winter without help. Many young animals weigh less than 500 grams.”
The German Animal Welfare Federation advises finders to only take hedgehogs into their care and take them to the vet if they actually need help – for example, if they have a severe parasite infestation, symptoms such as coughing, or if they are very small and thin. If a young hedgehog weighs slightly less than 500 grams but appears healthy, you can help it through the winter with wet cat food and water. If you are unsure, you should discuss how to proceed directly with a qualified rescue center or animal shelter.
ANIMAL WELFARE STARTS IN YOUR OWN GARDEN
Garden owners can help hedgehogs by leaving piles of leaves and brushwood lying around and avoiding the use of chemicals. Small passages in fences create paths between properties. Those who do not use robotic lawnmowers protect animals that run across the lawn in search of food.
