The National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme

Published: 15 April 2024

The NHMP is an exciting new pilot project, that will, for the first time, produce robust hedgehog population estimates. Where previous large-scale surveys give us information on where hedgehogs are, this new survey will tell us how many there are. Surveys that indicate only where hedgehogs are present, don’t reveal how that population is faring until it has disappeared, but monitoring numbers can give us warning if the population is in trouble. We’ll also look at regional and habitat differences in hedgehog populations, to identify what factors impact them. With this knowledge, we will make effective conservation plans, so that we can reverse the decline of this iconic species.

We’re working with volunteer partner organisations to coordinate surveys in their local area, in parks, gardens and more rural areas. They’re forming regional hubs to recruit volunteers who put out cameras, and then collect them after 30 days. The cameras capture images of hedgehogs and other animals. Using innovative methods, we’re analysing the images to understand how we can better help hedgehogs.

The NHMP needs your help!

The images from year 1 have been uploaded to mammalweb.org, and we need you to help us classify the animals which can be seen in them. You just need to sign up for a MammalWeb account and select the NHMP project to classify.