At least half the population of our native hedgehogs has been lost from the British countryside over the last two decades, warn two wildlife charities in a report issued last week.

The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2018, published jointly by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), shows that hedgehogs in rural areas are in severe decline, with their numbers plummeting by half since 2000.

Emily Wilson, hedgehog officer for Hedgehog Street, a public action campaign run by PTES and BHPS, says there's many reasons for this.

“The intensification of agriculture through the loss of hedgerows and permanent grasslands, increased field sizes, and the use of pesticides which reduce the amount of prey available, are all associated with the plunge in numbers of hedgehogs in rural areas.”

“Farmers play a vital role in producing food, but they’re also well placed to help protect, maintain and enhance our countryside. The government recently reiterated plans to reform the EU Common Agricultural Policy to reward landowners for delivering environmental benefits.

"Many farmers already have a sustainable approach to agriculture, and we think there’s a great opportunity to work more widely with them to stem the alarming decline of our country hedgehogs.”

However, the report shows a more positive outlook for hedgehogs in towns and cities: although the species has declined by a third in urban areas since 2000, the rate of decline is slowing. Hedgehogs are not disappearing from urban green spaces as rapidly as they were fifteen years ago, and might even be returning. Where they are found, numbers too, appear to be growing in some places.