Badgers and Hedgehogs: Separating fact from fiction in British native wildlife

Badger Trust Staff Team
Jan 18, 2023
6 min read

How moving beyond predation reveals the leading causes of hedgehog decline.

For many nature enthusiasts in Britain, few animals compare to the iconic badger. Their lumbering amble, bold black and white stripes, and playful family dynamics have secured them as much-loved nighttime visitors to rural and urban areas across the nation. Badger champions throughout Britain frequently take to social media to share their trail camera footage of badgers who visit their properties. Many more join their local Badger Group to help with sett surveys, injured badger rescues, and local community outreach to protect this much-loved native animal.

And yet, badgers remain one of the most persecuted British species, long vilified as pests, hunted with dogs for sport, and unscientifically scapegoated as a vector of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Another common misconception is the badger’s perceived role in the demise of another much cherished native mammal: the European hedgehog.

Hedgehogs, like badgers, have lived in Britain for hundreds of thousands of years. Unfortunately, whilst hedgehog sightings used to be frequent, hedgehogs are becoming much less common. In 2020, hedgehogs in Britain were formally recognised as vulnerable to extinction in Britain as they were listed on the Red List for British Mammals for the first time [1]. So what are the causes of hedgehog decline, and does this involve badgers?

What are the leading causes of hedgehog decline?

It is a myth that badgers are Britain's leading cause of hedgehog decline. These two species have lived together for thousands of years throughout history. Hedgehog numbers only recently started to fall, and the sudden and steep rate of hedgehog decline cannot be attributed to predation. According to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society:

“Pointing the finger at a single cause, such as predation by badgers or road casualties, likely misses the bigger, more complex picture.”

What does the science say?

Published data supports the view of a bigger, more complex picture of hedgehog decline. For example, the number of hedgehog sightings recorded in the State of Britain's Hedgehogs survey fell dramatically between 2004 and 2015, showing that the population decline was sudden and sharp, a trend unlikely to be caused only by predation. In addition, rates of hedgehog decline were the same in areas where badgers do not live [2].

Research has shown many factors contribute to hedgehog decline, and all of these factors are anthropogenic (human-induced).

Threats to hedgehogs in 21st-century Britain.

The biggest threat to hedgehogs (and other wild animals reliant on insects for food) is the intensification of agricultural practices. Agricultural intensification results in the loss of hedgerows, the expansion of fields, and a substantial decline in insect prey [3, 4, 5].

Hedgehogs, like badgers, are also at high risk of road traffic collisions as increasing development fragments vital wildlife habitats, and animals are forced to cross roads in search of food, shelter, and mates [6]. Sadly, an estimated 100,000 hedgehogs die on British roads every year [7].

The role of climate change in hedgehog decline.

As scientists confirm we are living in the sixth mass extinction, climate change is a significant contributor to hedgehog decline [8]. Hedgehogs have evolved to hibernate through winter, yet they will occasionally wake during this time to supplement their fat reserves by foraging for insect snacks.

Climate change has made British winters warmer and wetter, making it more difficult for hedgehogs to find food [9]. Without winter food, waking hedgehogs risk starving. Flooding and drought are also particularly hazardous. Winter floods can cause hedgehogs to drown whilst hibernating, and drought causes increasing competition for food.

Are badgers and hedgehogs competitors?

Despite their very different appearances, there are some striking similarities between badgers and hedgehogs. Both are nocturnal and rely on similar food sources, including earthworms, insects and larvae, and seasonal berries and fruits. These similarities can make badgers and hedgehogs competitors when food resources are scarce, which happens more now due to anthropogenic threats to nature.

Do badgers predate hedgehogs? Understanding how badgers and hedgehogs co-exist.

Badgers do not commonly predate hedgehogs. Research shows that only in areas of very high badger density (10 setts per 1km2) is it not possible for hedgehogs to co-exist with badgers [10]. However, such high badger density is extremely rare. Research also shows that hedgehogs are declining at the same rate in areas with no badgers to predate them.

There is much evidence to suggest that badgers and hedgehogs will co-exist harmoniously when food availability is high. Badgers and hedgehogs have co-existed in habitats across the UK for millennia and have evolved to live alongside each other. Even today, with increasing human-induced threats, there are regular eye-witness accounts of badgers and hedgehogs feeding alongside each other without issue.

This does not mean, however, that badgers will never predate hedgehogs. Instead, it means that badger predation is insufficient to cause the rates of species decline that we are seeing for hedgehogs today.

When might a badger predate a hedgehog?

When food competition increases, so can the risk of predation. Predation of hedgehogs by badgers usually only occurs in summer droughts, when food competition increases [11]. However, overall, it is rare for badgers to predate hedgehogs. Badgers are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will forage what food is available rather than hunting for specific prey.

Do badgers pose a risk to any other species?

Another common misconception is that badgers unsustainably predate ground-nesting birds. Yet research published in 2021 investigated the impact of badger culling on ground-nesting birds and found that badger removal had no statistical effect on nesting success rates [12]. Therefore, just as with hedgehog decline, badgers are not responsible for the declining rates of ground-nesting birds.

Such accusations, unfortunately, stem from the historic villainisation of badgers as ‘pest species that ought to be controlled’, despite the lack of evidence to substantiate their risk to other animals. In fact, many other animals will predate ground-nesting birds, including hedgehogs.

What is the badger’s environmental role?

Badgers are eco-system engineers. Their presence in their native range helps to promote biodiversity. Through their sett-building activities, badgers maintain and generate soil health. Their foraging behaviours help disperse seeds, creating habitats and food sources for pollinating insects, amphibians, small mammals, plants, and fungi [13]. All of these elements are vital for healthy ecosystems.

Are there too many badgers?

A common argument amongst those who support the lethal control of badgers is that badgers no longer have a natural predator, so their numbers need maintaining by humans. Yet, accurate and current population numbers of badgers in England and Wales are unknown. So it is not possible to determine how many badgers there are, particularly given the past ten years of the government-endorsed cull and high rates of illegal persecution.

Further to the 200,000 badgers killed by the end of 2022, an estimated 50,000 badgers are killed every year on British roads. Indeed, localised badger extinction is a severe concern for Badger Trust. Already, there are reports of badger setts in cull zones sitting empty for the first time in history.

Although it is unlikely that badger populations are ‘out of control’, an England and Wales-wide population survey is needed to assess badger population health and to assess the conservation need for this iconic native species. In 2023, Badger Trust will begin the State of the Badger pilot study, which we hope will lead to an England and Wales-wide citizen science badger survey.

How can you help hedgehogs and badgers?

The best thing you can do for hedgehogs is to create a wildlife-friendly garden. Wildlife corridors (a small hole in the fence for hedgehogs to pass through) and log piles (to encourage insects) will help to provide healthy foraging ground throughout the year.

There is little need to worry about badger predation of hedgehogs unless it is a time of drought. If you are worried about the predation of hedgehogs by badgers in hot weather, then the best thing you can do to protect both species is to feed them responsibly.

We suggest you put out fresh water and covered cat biscuits (to prevent flies and other animals) only when the ground is hard and dry and when natural foods are scarce. Like dogs and cats, human foods are unhealthy for badgers and hedgehogs.

You can read more about Living with Badgers for other useful information and advice.