Hedgehog
Draenog
Erinaceus europaeus
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Status:
Throughout Snowdonia but perhaps patchy in its distribution. Native insectivore, newly added to the UK and Wales Biodiversity Action Plan list, Section 42 of the NERC Act.
Although a widespread mammal in the UK, the hedgehog appears to have a patchy distribution in Snowdonia. Uplands, marshy areas and coniferous woodland are not very good hedgehog habitat because it is hard to find suitable places for both day and night time nests. Much of the National Park fits into this category. Optimum habitat is alongside broadleaf woodland, hedgerows, scrubby sand dunes or gardens. There has been much talk about the predation of hedgehogs by badgers and Snowdonia has a widespread badger population.
Mainly on the basis of road casualty sightings, there seem to be hotspot areas in Snowdonia for hedgehogs, e.g. Bala, Trawsfynydd and Harlech. Anecdotally, there seem to be fewer hedgehogs being seen in gardens than previously, but there is no data in this area to confirm that. We had a lovely record a few years ago of people sitting outside ‘Y Ring’ pub in Llanfrothen on a summer’s evening and a family of hedgehogs snuffled past in a long line.