The first official hedgehog crossing signs have been installed in Old Malden, London.
These signs were put up after it was found that the area has a thriving population of hedgehogs, animals that are often at risk on the roads. Each year, around 150,000 hedgehogs are thought to be killed on UK roads.
The new signs aim to help drivers and pedestrians be more aware of hedgehogs crossing the roads, potentially saving many lives. While it’s difficult to know the exact number of hedgehogs in the UK, conservationists believe the population has dropped significantly, with fewer than a million hedgehogs remaining in the wild today, compared to an estimated 36 million fifty years ago.
Previously, some towns had placed unofficial signs to warn about hedgehogs, but these are the first to be officially approved by the Department for Transport, which gave the green light in December 2023. Local authorities will now decide where to place these signs.
Conservationists, like Grace Johnson from Hedgehog Street, hope that these signs, along with other efforts, will help boost the hedgehog population across the UK. Grace shared her excitement that Kingston council supported the initiative, believing it will raise awareness about hedgehogs in the local community.
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