The hedgehog is one of Britain's most beloved native mammals, but our spiky friends have suffered significant declines in recent decades - by up to 75% in some rural areas – meaning the spiky mammals are vulnerable to extinction.
As Suffolk is mostly rural, we are really concerned that local hedgehog populations are thought to have halved in parts of the county.
We are on a mission to restore Suffolk's hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs face a range of threats, from road mortality to accidental garden injuries, but the National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy 2025 outlines two of the biggest threats as:
We have launched our Hedgehog-Friendly County campaign to address these priority threats and to encourage individuals, communities, schools, and businesses across Suffolk to work together to help local hedgehog populations thrive and create the conditions for their numbers to bounce back.
Gemma Cosson, Campaigning & Activism Manager at Suffolk Wildlife Trust, says:
“County-wide hedgehog recovery needs a joined-up approach. We need to provide essential natural stepping stones for them to move safely through towns, villages and countryside. We can do this by having Hedgehog-Friendly individuals, communities, decision-makers, businesses, schools, developments, farms, railway stations and more supporting this campaign. We’re hoping to capture all these actions in a county-wide map, to showcase and celebrate this collaborative approach to conservation.”
E Keeble
E KEeble
Many people are already helping hedgehogs in their gardens, and these spaces have been shown to support urban hedgehog population recovery.
As part of the campaign, the Trust is calling for people to continue taking practical action at home and in local spaces, but also to call for local leaders to make wider change.
Lauren Mack, Wilder Communities Officer at Suffolk Wildlife Trust, says:
“When community groups come together, so much can be achieved for the benefit of both local people and wildlife. We’ve previously worked with groups to improve wildlife areas, create new habitats, and inspire them to take action for nature in their local area. We are eager to see more communities create hedgehog-friendly spaces and call for change in their towns and villages over the next few years.”
We have published Hedgehog-Friendly County toolkits for individuals and communities with advice and guidance to help hedgehogs. We also invite Suffolk residents, schools, and businesses who are already taking action for hedgehogs to sign up to become a Hedgehog Hero:
