Hedgehogs After Dark: Roaming

1st June 2020

It’s the fourth week of Hedgehogs After Dark, and we’re exploring roaming behaviour in hedgehogs, and the use of Hedgehog Highways.

As a small animal, it often surprises people that hedgehogs can travel an average of 1-2km in a single night, sometimes more! A common behaviour for people to spot is therefore roaming, which is simply when a hedgehog is travelling from A to B.

Hedgehogs may be walking or even running, occasionally reaching a top speed of 3 metres per second. While a hedgehog’s legs are often hidden beneath their spines, they are surprisingly long (up to 10cm) and more visible when a hedgehog is travelling.

Hedgehogs may also be using dedicated Hedgehog Highways to access different gardens. Installing a 13x13cm gap through or under your garden fence or boundary will ensure hedgehogs can access and roam as far as they need to.

**Hedgehogs After Dark has now finished, but you can check out the highlights on our YouTube channel, and log hedgehog sightings on the BIG Hedgehog Map!**