Hedgehogs are highly active in July during peak breeding season, and Sir David Attenborough says adding a simple item to your fence can attract wildlife and encourage hedgehogs to visit
11:15, 22 Jul 2026Updated 12:13, 22 Jul 2026
David Attenborough shared essential hedgehog advice (stock image)(Image: Oksana_Schmidt via Getty Images)
Many people welcome the idea of hedgehogs visiting their gardens, and it transpires that completing a key task outdoors can help encourage them. Spotting these delightful creatures during summer is a real treat, as they can frequently be observed on warm evenings while hunting for sustenance.
What many may not appreciate is that July actually represents the peak breeding and foraging period in the UK, meaning hedgehogs are particularly active during these weeks. You stand the best chance of seeing them at dusk or on balmy evenings when they search for food, water and nesting materials — and Sir David Attenborough has revealed there is something you can do to entice them into your garden.
According to the expert, it simply requires adding one crucial element to your fence. However, this isn’t the only measure that can encourage hedgehog visits.
In an Instagram clip previously shared by the BBC, he outlined how to not only encourage these animals to stop by, but to support their survival as well — essential guidance that everyone should be aware of.
David’s top tip
David admits hedgehogs can be “rare” these days, and described them as being “charming” but “not very social” creatures. He added: “Nonetheless, urban areas are the one place where their numbers have stabilised and, with a little help from us, there’s hope that they might even increase.”
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David continued: “Hedgehogs can eat up to a 100g of food in a night, and that can take quite a lot of collecting. But this one has hit the jackpot.
“Every evening, the owner of this garden provides a feast for them. Tonight he’s searching for a mate, and he’ll need all the energy he can find.
“I think they’re lovely things. London has more gardens per square mile than any other capital city but, all too often, there’s no way between them.
“The mission for a mate has hit a dead end, or has it? All across London, garden owners are putting holes in their fences, creating hedgehog highways that allow safe travel from garden to garden.”
How does this help?
What many may not realise is that installing these modest openings in fences can not only welcome hedgehogs into your garden, but also play a vital role in protecting them. The benefits to these creatures could be far greater than you might imagine.
By linking your garden to neighbouring green spaces, you enable hedgehogs to access food sources such as slugs, snails and beetles concealed amongst your flowerbeds. Some experts suggest that incorporating these pathways can boost sighting opportunities by approximately 40%.
The highways facilitate easier movement between properties, which represents a considerable benefit for sustaining hedgehog populations. The process itself is remarkably straightforward.
Creating a passage is quite simple — just remove a brick from a wall or cut a CD-case-sized opening (roughly 13cm x 13cm) at the base of your wooden fence panels or wire mesh. That’s essentially all that’s required, and decorative signs are also available for purchase if desired.
Even better still is encouraging your neighbours to get on board as well. The greater the number of adjoining gardens connected, the wider the territory hedgehogs are able to roam in search of food and mates.
It is well worth attempting to create pathways on all sides of the garden where possible. This will grant hedgehogs considerably improved access while also helping to keep them safe from danger.