Hedgehogs in danger: Moravity robots threaten the spiky garden dwellers!

Hedgehogs in danger: Moravity robots threaten the spiky garden dwellers!

At the beginning of the 2025 garden season, garden owners are increasingly relying on the robotic lawnmowers, which, however, pose a new danger to domestic wildlife population. In particular, the hedgehogs looking for food during these months are massively threatened by the rapidly driving devices. As Leibniz-Izw to actually protect the animals.

the decline in hedgehog population

The decline in western stocks in Western Europe has been classified as "potentially endangered" since 2024. Hedgehogs are not only endangered by robotic lawnmowers; Car traffic, environmental toxins and new enemies such as badger and raccoon also contribute to the threat. Habitats are increasingly unattractive through well -kept gardens and tight fences. According to a study by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, the number of hedgehogs with cuts with cut-in-laws due to robotic lawnmowing is alarming and increases significantly in spring. Voluntary hedgehog stations are overwhelmed: ndr reported in 2024 and 240 Garden season.

A concrete example is the Igeld name "Hope" that lost its leg due to a robotic lawnmower. The hedgehog holdings are not only endangered in Germany: inappropriate gardens, droughts and the use of robotic lawyers also tighten the situation. A night driving ban for robotic lawnmowers is required by conservationists and authorities to take into account the nightly search habits of the hedgehogs.

political and technological solutions

The urgent need to act politically becomes increasingly clear. A state takeover of the veterinarian costs or even a ban on the nocturnal operation of robots could be possible solutions. The "IGEL initiative FRG", which was founded in May 2023, aims to communicate problems in politics and society and to do educational work. Technical solutions that enable the robotic lawnmowers to recognize small animals are not yet ready for the market.

at a time when the sales figures for robots continue to increase by 12 percent annually, more attention must be paid to the effects of night operation. Garden owners are still asked to search their lawns before using the robotic lawnmowers to protect injured animals. This is the only way to counter the further decline in the hedgehog population.