Are hedgehogs endangered in the UK? What the Red List says in 2026

Are hedgehogs endangered in the UK?

Not officially, but they’re closer to the edge than most people realise. Hedgehogs are classed as Vulnerable to extinction in Great Britain. That’s one step below Endangered on the Red List scale.

You’ll see headlines saying hedgehogs have been “added to the endangered list”. That’s not quite right, and the difference matters when you’re explaining it to someone else.

 

 

What did the 2020 Red List actually say?

The first official Red List for British Mammals landed in July 2020. It found that 11 of our 47 native mammals are at risk of extinction. Beavers, red squirrels, water voles and grey long-eared bats were listed as Endangered, while the hedgehog sat in the Vulnerable group with the hazel dormouse and a few others. 

The list was produced by the Mammal Society for the UK’s nature agencies and authorised by the IUCN at a regional level, so it uses the same system applied to animals like elephants and tigers. At the time, hedgehogs were still rated Least Concern worldwide, which made the British result a bit of a shock. 

 

Has the picture changed since 2020?

Yes, and not for the better. The IUCN has since moved the species on a global basis too. The European hedgehog went from Least Concern to Near Threatened, after a decline of at least 30% over the past decade. 

So the status is now Vulnerable in Britain and Near Threatened worldwide.

 

What does the newest research say?

A paper published on 8 October 2026 in Ecology and Evolution is the most complete look yet. It pulls together data from five separate recording schemes across Britain, covering 1981 to 2024. The authors report substantial, widespread declines, particularly in rural areas. 

It also gives useful context on the 2020 listing. The Red List assessment inferred a 39% decline over three generations, which is about 13 years. The new work backs up the concern behind that call. 

 

Didn’t hedgehogs just get picked for a banknote?

They did, on the same day as the paper. The Bank of England announced on 8 October 2026 that the European hedgehog will feature on its next series of banknotes, alongside the Atlantic puffin, barn owl and buff-tailed bumblebee. Hedgehogs got 259,665 votes, the most of any mammal in a consultation with nearly 500,000 responses. 

It’s lovely proof that people care. It doesn’t change the numbers on the ground. Conservation groups have been quick to say a picture on a note won’t help a hedgehog cross a road or reach a new patch of habitat.

 

Why are hedgehogs declining?

Researchers point to a mix of causes: habitat loss, fragmented green space, road traffic, pesticides and badly managed gardens. A recent genetic study in Greater London found that city hedgehogs are vulnerable to isolation because they struggle to move through built-up areas. 

 

 

What can you do about it?

Small things add up:

• Cut a 13cm square gap in your garden fence so hedgehogs can roam between gardens
• Leave a corner of the garden wild, with leaf piles and log stacks
• Skip slug pellets and check long grass before strimming
• Log your sightings through the national monitoring schemes
• Buy one of our architecturally-designed hedgehog homes to provide much needed shelter and a space to rest 

 

FAQs

Are hedgehogs protected by law in the UK?
They’re listed on Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which gives some protection. After the 2020 Red List, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society called for a move to Schedule 5, which would give stronger protection. 

Are hedgehogs extinct in the UK?
No. Numbers have fallen sharply, but they’re still widespread.

What’s the difference between Vulnerable and Endangered?
Both are threatened categories on the IUCN scale. Endangered means a higher risk of extinction, and Vulnerable sits just below it.