Hedgehogs are now classified as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list, following a population decline of over 30% in the past decade across much of their range.

Once common throughout Europe and previously listed as of “least concern,” hedgehogs are now edging closer to extinction due to urban development, intensive farming, and roads that fragment their habitats.

Key threats to hedgehogs include vehicle collisions, pesticide use, and poorly managed domestic gardens. Pesticides not only kill the insects hedgehogs rely on for food but may also poison the animals directly.

Abi Gazzard, a programme officer at the IUCN, said: “Unfortunately, evidence points towards a worrying and widespread downward trend. The red list assessment also highlights data uncertainties – for example, the limits of this species’ distribution are not entirely clear, and there are gaps in knowledge of its populations. There is still a chance to halt the decline of the western European hedgehog, and we must aim to prevent any further worsening of status.”

The Mammal Society urges the public to support hedgehogs by adopting wildlife-friendly gardening practices. These include leaving gaps in fences for hedgehog movement, avoiding pesticides, and creating shelters like log piles or hedgehog houses. This call comes amid a broader crisis for UK mammals, with one in four species threatened with extinction and many others in decline.

Hope Nothhelfer, a communications officer at the Mammal Society, said: “This decline will likely come as no surprise to the average person. When hedgehogs come up in conversation, it’s not long before someone says that they just don’t see them any more. The hope is that as hedgehogs become more and more like a distant memory from our childhoods, we will respond with action that will bring these memories back to life.”

Shorebirds have also faced alarming declines, with four UK species moving to higher threat categories on the red list this year. These migratory birds, which winter in the UK before returning to northern breeding grounds in spring, are particularly vulnerable.

The grey plover has seen a global population decline of more than 30% since the late 1990s, shifting from “least concern” to “vulnerable.” Dunlins and turnstones, also in steep decline, have been reclassified as “near threatened,” while the curlew sandpiper, whose population has dropped over 30% since the late 2000s, is now listed as “vulnerable.”

Threats to shorebirds include pollution, habitat loss from development, and climate change. Rising sea levels increase coastal erosion and the risk of flooding, further restricting the birds’ habitats.

Globally, the red list highlights that 38% of tree species are at risk of extinction, based on the first global tree assessment. Of 47,282 species assessed, at least 16,425 face extinction. Island tree species are particularly threatened by deforestation for agriculture and urban expansion, as well as invasive species, pests, and diseases.

These findings underscore the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard the world’s biodiversity across species and ecosystems.

 

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