Log your ‘hogs: we reveal the counties who are recording the most (and least!) number of hedgehogs

17th October 2018

Thank you to everyone who has recorded sightings of hedgehogs (dead or alive) from 2015 to present via our BIG Hedgehog Map. We’ve taken this data and for the first time worked out which counties across Britain are recording the most (and least!) number of native hedgehog sightings…

We can reveal that the top five hedgehog spotting counties are: Hampshire (with 1,250 records), Oxfordshire (with 803), Greater Manchester (joint with Oxfordshire with 803), Devon (with 701) and Hertfordshire (with 669). On the other end of the scale, the fewest sightings were recorded in Bath & NE Somerset (60 records), Isle of Wight (63) and Bristol (107) – as shown by our heatmap below.

We are keen to hear from anyone across Britain when they see a ‘hog, but if you live in one of the counties that has the fewest recorded sightings, or live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, we especially want to hear from you, as data from these areas is very sparse. Please note, a lower number or no sightings doesn’t necessarily mean there are less hedgehogs in this area, but simply that we’re not being told about them.

And while our heatwave map does not reflect actual hedgehog distribution, the more data we can gather, the better picture we have of where hedgehogs are located, which helps us to protect these beautiful but endangered animals.

So we really hope you all continue to log your ‘hogs here, whether you’re in the city or the country.