France hedgehog map shows where sightings remain possible

For more than three years, researchers, conservationists and thousands of volunteers gathered data to establish where hedgehogs in France still have favourable prospects. The result is a nationwide map that identifies not only hotspots, but also underlines just how vulnerable this small insect-eater has become.

A prickly neighbour in trouble: the state of the hedgehog

For many people, the hedgehog is a much-loved garden visitor. It measures around 30 centimetres in length and roughly 15 centimetres in height, and rarely weighs more than one kilogram at the start of hibernation. Its spines make it instantly recognisable. In France, as in Germany, it lives in rural areas as well as on urban fringes and in gardens.

Yet the species is coming under increasing pressure. Intensive farming removes both shelter and food sources, while pesticides cause insect populations to decline. Roads fragment habitats, and nocturnal journeys often end beneath a car tyre. Closer to home, robotic mowers and lawnmowers also cause accidents.

“Every year, the hedgehog population declines – the new map reveals where numbers still appear reasonably stable and where the gaps are widening.”

Major study: France counts its hedgehogs

To gain a clearer picture of the scale of the issue, the conservation organisation France Nature Environnement launched a nationwide project several years ago. Called “Opération Hérisson”, the initiative initially began in the eastern French département of Doubs. What started as a regional trial developed into a programme covering all of France – and a European dimension is now also being considered.

Its aim is to collect as many reports as possible from every region, allowing hedgehog populations and habitats to be mapped more precisely. Hedgehogs are difficult to observe directly: they are nocturnal, prefer undergrowth and long grass, and are simply small. Anyone who only goes walking during the day is unlikely ever to see one.

How the search worked: tunnels, ink prints and chance sightings

The project therefore relies on straightforward methods that non-specialists can use too. Hedgehog tunnels were especially widely used: shallow cardboard or plastic tunnels placed in gardens. Food is set in the centre, while strips of non-toxic ink and paper are positioned at the entrance and exit. A hedgehog passing through leaves behind distinctive footprints.

• Garden tunnels containing food and ink to record paw prints
• Online reports of live hedgehogs, such as animals seen in gardens or on pavements
• Records of animals killed on roadsides
• Long-term monitoring of individual sites over several years

Every observation, whether welcome or tragic, was added to a central database. This enabled the research team to identify where hedgehogs still occur relatively often, where sightings are only occasional, and where they have almost disappeared.

The new France hedgehog map: where sightings are most likely

Thousands of reports were used to create a detailed map showing the distribution of the animals across the country. One pattern is clear: some regions generate far more observations than others.

Particularly high numbers of reports came from:

• Bourgogne–Franche-Comté
• Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes
• Île-de-France, including Greater Paris
• Hauts-de-France in the north of the country

These areas are currently considered focal points for hedgehog reports. They combine rural landscapes, gardens, hedgerows and extensive residential development – a mix that offers comparatively good conditions for hedgehogs, provided that every square metre is not sealed over.

“Where hedgerows, grassy strips and wildlife-friendly gardens remain, hedgehogs persist – the map shows this in striking clusters.”

At the same time, the map includes areas where hedgehog reports remain scarce. In some cases, this reflects genuinely impoverished habitats dominated by monocultures and lacking places of refuge. In others, fewer people may simply be submitting records, especially in sparsely populated areas. The map makes it possible to weigh up both factors against each other.

More than 11,000 people take part: citizen science as an opportunity

Even specialists have been surprised by the scale of the project: more than 11,000 different people have contributed data so far. In 2023 alone, this produced more than 6,700 observations across the whole of mainland France.

The initiative demonstrates the public’s strong interest in native wildlife. Many participants form a personal connection with the hedgehogs around them, give them names or set up small feeding stations. What began as a factual study thus becomes a community project with an emotional bond.

Spring is the best time for sightings

The changing seasons play an important part in mapping efforts. Hedgehogs hibernate in winter, so reports are rare at that time. Once temperatures rise in spring, they emerge to search for food and mates, making sightings much more common.

Spring and early summer are therefore the main reporting season. Anyone out at dusk while on holiday in France has the best chance of spotting a hedgehog beside the path, for example in holiday-home developments with gardens or along quiet country lanes.

How you can help, including from German-speaking countries

France Nature Environnement’s platform remains open, and further reports are actively encouraged. Anyone living in France, commuting there or visiting regularly on holiday can submit sightings online. The key details are the location, date, and whether the animal was found alive or dead.

For readers in German-speaking countries, the project has a second relevance: hedgehogs face similar problems across central Europe. The findings from France can be readily applied elsewhere. Anyone wishing to make their garden more hedgehog-friendly can take simple steps:

• Keep hedges and leaf piles rather than making beds completely “tidy”
• Create gaps in garden fences so hedgehogs can travel between properties
• Take care when using robotic mowers, especially at dusk
• Avoid slug pellets and use as little poison as possible in the garden
• Provide shallow escape ramps in ponds and swimming pools

“Anyone who allows a few wild corners in their own garden creates exactly the structures hedgehogs need – in France as in Germany.”

What the map could achieve in the long term

The data collected provides a basis for influencing political and planning decisions. Local authorities, for instance, can ensure that green corridors and hedgerows are retained when new housing developments are built. Road schemes can be supplemented with underpasses or green bridges, so small mammals do not have to cross every route over tarmac.

The map also makes it possible to track trends over many years. If report numbers fall consistently in particular regions, this may point to growing problems, such as heavier traffic, fewer insects or increasing land sealing. If numbers rise, conservation measures or greater public awareness may be having an effect.

Why citizen projects are so valuable for wildlife

Projects such as the French hedgehog map illustrate what effective conservation work can look like today: scientists provide the methods, while citizens undertake a large share of the data collection. This produces datasets that professional teams alone could scarcely manage, either financially or in staffing terms.

Taking part also encourages people to look more closely at their own surroundings. Someone who has found a young hedgehog at the roadside or seen tracks in a garden tunnel is likely to drive more carefully, mow with greater attention and talk to neighbours about open fences and wildlife-friendly corners. The impact extends far beyond the map itself.

For hedgehogs in France, the new map is therefore a tool with two purposes: it shows where this small insect-eater is still managing comparatively well, while also making clear where politicians, local authorities and private individuals must take action so that this spiny garden icon does not quietly disappear.