How we are helping our spiky residents
When we think of supporting local wildlife, we often envisage feeders or beautifully crafted birdhouses. However, some of the most impactful efforts are the ones we don’t always see. Hidden beneath the surface—and cleverly integrated into our surroundings on our Horton Heath site—are wildlife-friendly infrastructures like hedgehog highways and mammal tunnels, quietly making a big difference for our furry neighbours.
What Are Hedgehog Highways and Mammal Tunnels?
Hedgehogs are wanderers, often travelling beyond a mile a night in search of food, mates, or shelter. Traditional fencing can trap them in one area, making it harder for them to thrive and get the most out of their natural surroundings. This is where hedgehog highways come in.
Hedgehog highways are small gaps at the base of fences or walls, creating a connected network that allows them to move freely between green spaces and roads. These holes are large enough to allow small creatures (like hedgehogs) to pass through and roam but small enough to ensure your dog doesn’t get lost on an adventure!
Mammal tunnels, however, are underground passageways – similarly designed to help animals safely cross busy roads or other human-made barriers. These tunnels are usually bigger than hedgehog highways and often built beneath highways or railways – providing a secure route for wildlife (big and small) like badgers, foxes, and otters.
Why They Matter:
- Preventing Isolation: Hedgehog populations need large territories to maintain genetic diversity and find resources. By providing exits from enclosed spaces, they are free to roam as nature intended.
- Encouraging Biodiversity and balancing ecosystems: When hedgehogs thrive, they control pests like slugs. This is not only beneficial to gardeners in protecting their gardens, but a great help in protecting and allowing many plant species to thrive and maintain the natural balance. This alongside keeping animals connected to their habitats means that these structures contribute to balanced ecosystems.
- Reducing Road Crossings and Road Kill: With better connectivity between green spaces, hedgehogs are less likely to venture onto dangerous roads, therefore preventing any unfortunate accidents for these curious creatures. When they do need to cross the road, mammal tunnels form a safe passage to venture to the other side of the road/ bridge as opposed to crossing alongside the cars.
- Supporting Endangered Species: By preventing isolation and preventing road animal road accidents, endangered species such as dormice or otters have a better chance at survival and can hopefully see numbers in populations increase.
How These Solutions Are Implemented and How You Can Help
These wildlife conservation solutions involve collaboration among wildlife organisations, developers, and councils to design and create effective structures. As a new housing developer, we are integrating features such as hedgehog highways and wildlife corridors into our infrastructure plans to ensure we protect our neighbours in nature. We have incorporated both hedgehog highways and mammal tunnels, in an eco-conscious attempt to demonstrate that urban growth and wildlife conservation can successfully coexist.
You can also contribute to these efforts by creating your own hedgehog highways (which can be as simple as cutting small gaps in fences or coordinating with neighbours), planting native shrubs, or providing shelters specifically designed for these creatures. You could also consider raising awareness about the importance of hedgehogs by sharing information with friends, family, and local communities to foster a greater appreciation and encourage collective efforts for their protection.
Small changes like a hole in a fence or an underground tunnel, might seem insignificant—but they’re lifelines for the wildlife we live alongside. By recognising and supporting these hidden heroes, we can ensure a brighter future for our neighbours in nature.
