Your fences can help an adorable endangered animal as it wakes up from hibernation.
Angela Patrone Senior Lifestyle Reporter
04:03, 11 Mar 2026
UK households urged to drill holes in their fences this month(Image: Philippe Gerber via Getty Images)
Wildlife experts are calling on gardeners to create small openings at the base of their fences ahead of spring to support a beloved yet vulnerable British creature. As hedgehogs emerge from hibernation during this period, they could benefit significantly from our help.
So, if you’re keen to make your outdoor space more hedgehog-friendly, it’s worth inspecting your boundary fencing. Whilst creating apertures in your fence might not top your list of garden maintenance jobs, wildlife specialists emphasise the substantial benefits for hedgehogs.
Known as a hedgehog highway, these passages offer safe corridors for hedgehogs to reach food sources and refuge whilst avoiding hazards. Here’s everything you should know.
Gardeners are being urged to make holes in fences to help hedgehogs(Image: imageBROKER/Kevin Sawford via Getty Images)
Hedgehog highways are networks of gaps and openings running through hedges and fencing, creating protected routes for hedgehogs to navigate.
Given that hedgehogs risk injury on roads, these highways offer them a safe means of travelling without peril.
Anton Baskerville, wildlife expert at Woodlands.co.uk, said: “Hedgehogs like to roam large distances to find food, mates, and nesting sites.
“In urban environments, fences, walls, and other barriers can limit their movement, making it harder for them to meet these basic needs.
“A hedgehog highway enables them to safely travel between gardens and other habitats, greatly improving their chances of survival and reproduction.”
Ensure our latest lifestyle and travel headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Hedgehogs in the UK are facing a significant threat of extinction. Their numbers have seen a sharp decline, especially in rural areas, due to habitat destruction, road accidents, and dwindling food sources.
The beauty of creating a hedgehog highway is that it doesn’t require removing a substantial part of your hedge or fence.
Specialists at Thomson Environmental Consultants, a leading environmental consultancy group, suggested: “Creating a CD-case-sized gap in garden fences allows hedgehogs to move freely between gardens.
“By coordinating with your neighbours, you can establish a connected network of gardens and mark gaps to raise awareness.”