Numerous hazards for hedgehogs in Saxony stemming from human activities - Numerous risks for hedgehogs in Saxony due to human actions
In the German state of Saxony, the European hedgehog population faces numerous threats, leading to a steady decline for several years, as revealed by authorities and wildlife conservationists. The exact extent of this population decrease is indeterminate due to the absence of targeted surveys in recent years.
A spokesperson from the State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG) confirms that hedgehogs can be found across diverse habitats, from the lowlands to the high altitudes of the Ore Mountains. However, population densities of 0.5 animals per hectare, common at the end of the 1980s, are now uncommon.
Aside from natural predators like badgers, foxes, and buzzards, hedgehogs face various hazards in urban and residential areas. Traffic, environmental toxins, a scarcity of food such as earthworms and snails, and human-induced alterations in land management increase their vulnerability. The already challenging situation has been exacerbated during the drought years, and harmful practices like soil sealing and insecticide or slug bait use have destroyed small, natural habitats essential for the species' survival.
Interestingly, the European hedgehog is classified as "least concern" in Saxony's 2015 Red List but is listed as "near threatened" at the federal level, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it as "near threatened" as of 2024. The State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology suggests that an update in the species' status may be required.
In the Leipzig district, the hedgehog population has dropped by approximately 80 percent since 1994, according to Sven Moehring of the Nature Conservation Association of Saxony (NABU). As a result, many hedgehogs are either killed or injured, especially near settlements, due to vehicle collisions or reckless human activities like gardening.
Karina Goerner of the Igelhilfe Radebeul affirms the critical condition of the local hedgehog population, stating that many animals have been discovered during hibernation suffering from parasites, old age, or injuries ranging from lawn trimmers to digging tools and bite wounds. Over 200 hedgehogs have been handed over since the beginning of the year, with several of them being underweight.
Hedgehogs have an affinity for herbaceous vegetation on native shrubs and perennials, compost, leaf, and twig piles, wild corners, diverse meadows, and thorny bushes like wild roses and hawthorn. In an effort to support the species, garden and property owners are encouraged to leave untouched leaf, twig, and compost piles from May to August, create ground-level passages to soften barriers like ponds, light shades, or walls, and avoid using pesticides whenever possible.
The NABU advocates for a lawn mower ban, arguing that a meadow that is only mowed two or three times a year, combined with garden disorder, would significantly improve hedgehog habitats. Additionally, municipalities could prevent nightly "excursions" of lawn robots to save hedgehog lives. Cities like Cologne and Leipzig have already implemented this policy, serving as models for widespread adoption throughout Germany.
- Saxony
- Wildlife Conservation
- NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union)
- Germany
- Leipzig
- Environment
- Erz Mountains
- 1980s
- In Saxony, where the European hedgehog populace is declining due to various threats, environmental-science organizations like the NABU are advocating for measures such as leaving untouched compost piles from May to August, creating ground-level passages for hedgehogs, and implementing a lawn mower ban in an effort to support and preserve the species.
- Amidst the dwindling hedgehog population in Leipzig, a city in Saxony, home-and-garden owners and municipalities are encouraged to employ lifestyle modifications such as reducing the frequency of lawn mowing, allowing herbaceous vegetation to thrive, and avoiding the use of harmful environmental toxins like pesticides to improve the habitat and increase the chances of survival for the vulnerable species.
