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Our hedgehog research methods

Our survey in 2014 was the first hedgehog research project of its kind in The Royal Parks and the intensive week of fieldwork confirmed the presence of a small and vulnerable hedgehog population. In 2015 we headed back to the Park with enhanced survey techniques to repeat the study and find out more about their activities.

Our research

Radiotracking for hedgehogs The first phase of our fieldwork took place in The Regent's Park in May and September 2014. The survey was repeated at the same times in 2015 - before and after the breeding season.

The aims were to find out:

how many hedgehogs are in the Park
which areas of the Park they forage in
what habitats they rely on for nesting
more about their behaviour during their night-time excursions
how isolated this Regent’s Park population really is

Survey methods

We divided the park into eight zones and teams of volunteers searched each zone including London Zoo and Primrose Hill. We wanted to gather as much information as possible about the hedgehogs and so we used a variety of different survey techniques.

Close up picture of the hedgehog's spines through a thermal imaging camera.

Technology played a huge part in 2015’s study, with thermal imaging cameras being used, a rarity in these types of wildlife surveys, along with radio tagging and GPS tracking. The A DNA analysis of the hedgehogs’ spines is also currently underway to find out more about the genetic make-up of this small population.

Radiotracking - a handful of hedgehogs were fitted with a lightweight radiotag which they wore for one week. This enabled the team to locate the animal each night using a handheld aerial and observe its movements from a distance without disturbing it.
GPS tracking - the same select hedgehogs were also fitted with a tiny bespoke GPS device for a week which recorded a satellite fix of their location every 10 mins. All the data collected was then downloaded onto a computer mapping system at the end of the week, once the device had been removed from the hedgehog.
Spotlighting - on the first and last Friday of the survey week, volunteers used specialised LED torches to search the long grass, hedgerows, flowerbeds and parkland for hedgehogs.
Thermal imaging - thermal imaging cameras proved to be a fantastic detection and observation tool, enabling the teams to detect hedgehogs more effectively and record their natural behaviour with no disturbance at all.
Footprint tunnels - these are baited polythene tunnels which attract the hedgehog. As they walk through the tunnel, they step on an ink pad and leave footprints on a sheet of paper. This detection method did not prove to be very effective in our study, for reasons not quite understood, and the method was not repeated in 2015.
Camera traps - these special night time video cameras were fixed to low tree branches pointing towards the footprint tunnels. They were activated by movement nearby.
Residents Questionnaire – 4,000 questionnaires were delivered to businesses and houses surrounding Regent’s Park to try and establish whether this is an isolated population. 321 responses were received (8%)

Support the hedgehogs of The Regent's Park

Hedgehog survey 2015 - spotlighting for hedgehogs. Photo by Matt Haworth. By undertaking this project we've learned a lot about the hedgehogs of Regent's Park but there is so much we still don’t know. What is sure however, is that this hedgehog population is a very small, isolated and incredibly vulnerable one, which needs our continued focus and support.