The annual ego count is over again. Last weekend there was plenty of hedgehogs in the garden throughout the Netherlands. 610 hedgehogs were counted in Drenthe. That is less than the year before, when 855 were observed.
A total of 9,339 hedgehogs were counted throughout the Netherlands. That number is also lower than 2024. In that year, 13,584 of these animals were counted.
The fact that fewer hedgehogs have been counted is partly because fewer people participated in the count. Yet Eveline van der Jagt of the Mammal Association is enthusiastic about the count. “Every year it is nice to see how enthusiastically people participate and I am happy with the attention it gets,” says Van der Jagt.
Most hedgehogs were counted in the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Gelderland. In previous years that were also the three provinces where most hedgehogs were seen. “Some provinces are simply more active than others. More hedgehogs are counted faster, but it can also be due to how the gardens are furnished in those provinces. And hopefully it will motivate other provinces to participate more actively,” says Van der Jagt laughing.
If you want to make sure that the hedgehog feels at home in your garden, there are still some tips so that there may be a hedgehog nest next year. Alternation between grass, shrubs and other plants are fine. Also do not tidy your garden very nicely, because hedgehogs like to hide in messy spots.
To make it easy for hedgehogs to find your garden, it helps to have small holes in your hedge or fence. You can also put a saucer with water so that they can drink something, but no milk. And if you have a tile garden, it’s best to get rid of it right away. Hedgehogs prefer grass above a tile.