Northern Ireland's first GPS hedgehog tracking project underway to protect at-risk species - Ulster Wildlife

Ulster Wildlife is undertaking Northern Ireland’s first-ever GPS tracking project for hedgehogs to help uncover the nocturnal activities of these much-loved garden visitors and safeguard their future.

Hedgehogs are becoming an increasingly rare sight in Northern Ireland and are now classified as Near Threatened across Europe. Tidier gardens, fewer wild areas, fencing replacing hedgerows, a lack of insect prey, use of pesticides and road traffic collisions have all played a part.

Research emerging from across the UK and Ireland suggests hedgehogs are retreating to towns and cities, and that urban gardens may be their last refuge. However, almost nothing is known about how hedgehogs navigate urban environments locally and what obstacles they face.

To address this gap, the local nature conservation charity is tracking hedgehogs in urban areas across Northern Ireland throughout the year to build a bigger picture to inform conservation efforts.

Selected hedgehogs are located and fitted with a small, lightweight GPS tag, under licence from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. This is temporarily attached to the hedgehog’s spines, like a backpack, and remains in place for a few days before being safely removed, causing it no harm. Only males are chosen, so as not to disturb nesting females.