Gardeners are being urged to make changes to their fences now before spring arrivesAngela Patrone and Georgia Burns Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer
21:14, 12 Mar 2026
Anyone with a garden urged to make holes in their fences before spring arrives (Image: GettyImages)
Wildlife experts are encouraging gardeners to drill small holes at the bottom of their garden fences before spring arrives in order to help one of Britain’s most beloved – and increasingly endangered – animals. As temperatures begin to rise, hedgehogs across the UK are starting to wake from their winter hibernation and will soon begin searching for food, mates and suitable nesting sites.
Experts say gardens can play a crucial role in helping them survive, and one simple step homeowners can take is to check their fencing. Although drilling holes in a fence may not be high on most people’s list of spring gardening jobs, specialists say it can make a significant difference for hedgehogs.
These small openings are referred to as hedgehog highways and create safe passageways that allow the animals to move between gardens in search of food and shelter, while avoiding dangers such as busy roads.
Hedgehog highways are essentially a network of small gaps and holes made in fences, walls or hedges. When several neighbouring gardens create these access points, they form connected routes that hedgehogs can safely travel through, the Express reports.
Gardeners are being urged to make holes in fences to help hedgehogs(Image: GettyImages)
Without these gaps, modern garden fencing can trap hedgehogs in small spaces, limiting their ability to roam and making it harder for them to find the resources they need to survive. These highways provide a secure route for them to travel without any danger.
Anton Baskerville, wildlife expert at Woodlands.co.uk, explained: “Hedgehogs like to roam large distances to find food, mates, and nesting sites.”
He explained that urban environments often create barriers that make this natural behaviour difficult, he continued: “In urban environments, fences, walls, and other barriers can limit their movement, making it harder for them to meet these basic needs.”
The wildlife expert emphasises that the highway can dramatically improve their chances of survival. He added: “A hedgehog highway enables them to safely travel between gardens and other habitats, greatly improving their chances of survival and reproduction.”
In the UK, hedgehogs are officially recognised as a species at risk of extinction.
In the UK, hedgehogs are recognised as being at risk of extinction. (Image: GettyImages)
Their numbers have declined sharply in recent years, particularly in rural areas, due to habitat loss, road traffic accidents and a decrease in natural food sources such as insects and hedgerow plants.
The good thing is that creating a hedgehog highway doesn’t require major changes to your garden. You don’t need to remove an entire hedge or fence, carefully placed gaps are enough to make a big difference.
Experts at the leading environmental consultancy group Thomson Environmental Consultants advised: “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.”
Comments are closed.