Grafing: Hedgehog rescuer under pressure – threatened with expulsion?

Grafing: Hedgehog rescuer under pressure – threatened with expulsion?

Beatrice Tegt from Grafing has dedicated herself to offering injured hedgehogs a home in her community garden for the last five years. This animal-loving woman has set up shelters, watering holes and feeding areas to help the little prickly animals. Unfortunately, Tegt is now confronted with massive complaints. The city of Grafing, your landlord, is demanding the immediate removal of the hedgehog homes because neighbors complain about the smell, hygiene and the attraction of pests such as rats and flies. Mayor Christian Bauer has even indicated that failure to comply could result in the rental agreement being terminated without notice, which makes Tegt very worried about her apartment and the hedgehogs, especially two pregnant females that she cannot simply abandon. “This breaks my heart,” she expressed her despair in the media. She feels abandoned by the city administration and sees no light at the end of the tunnel. However, Mayor Bauer has made a proposal to gradually move the feeding areas to an adjacent property in order to satisfy the neighbors.

But it's not just in Grafing that the hedgehogs suffer from adverse conditions. The European hedgehog was classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2024. Voices from Switzerland confirm that hedgehogs have been on the red list of threatened species there since 2022. In many European countries, experts are observing a worrying decline in the hedgehog population. While the hedgehog is still relatively common in low and middle altitudes of Switzerland, its habitat is severely threatened by intensive agricultural use. According to a long-term study from Zurich, the hedgehog population decreased by 40% between 1992 and 2018, which is reaching alarming proportions.

The causes of the decline

The reasons for the decline of hedgehogs are varied and are often the result of human activity. Construction work and the expansion of roads significantly restrict their living space. Hundreds of thousands of hedgehogs die on streets and in gardens every year, making the situation even worse. In rural areas, hedgehog populations have fallen by up to 75% since 2000, particularly dramatically in the eastern half of England. The numbers are also falling in Germany, as the Nature Conservation Association (Nabu) notes. The characteristics such as lack of shelter and food in gardens compound the problem. Modern devices such as robotic lawnmowers also pose a threat to hedgehogs.

Organizations such as the StadtWildTiere and Wilde Neighbors projects, which promote the visibility and protection of wild animals in urban areas, want to raise awareness. The public is also asked to make a valuable contribution to protecting this species by reporting hedgehog sightings. Experts see a network of hedgehog-friendly gardens as an important step towards improving the hedgehogs' habitat. In this way, a community can be created that offers the little prickly knights a safe home.

While Beatrice Tegt fights for the future of her hedgehogs in Grafing, it also becomes clear that the problem extends far beyond the boundaries of her garden. Protecting hedgehogs requires comprehensive awareness across society. Only together can we fight the decline of these charming and useful animals.