The dangers for hedgehogs in Saxony are increasing. Nevertheless, its population in the state is not yet classified as endangered, said a spokesperson for the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology in a survey conducted by the German Press Agency. In the current Red List of Mammals of Saxony from 2015, it is classified as "endangered", while in the Red List of Germany (2020) it is on the "early warning list". The German Wildlife Foundation has named the brown-breasted hedgehog Animal of the Year 2024.
In Saxony, the hedgehog's distribution is documented to be almost nationwide, from the lowlands to the high altitudes of the Ore Mountains. It is not known how many hedgehogs live in Saxony. They prefer to live in settlements and their peripheral areas, gardens, hedges, bushes and green areas or sparse forests.
The decline in small, near-natural settlement areas, for example due to soil sealing, the use of insecticides, the loss of retreat areas and food are a serious threat to hedgehogs, according to the state office. Hedgehogs also suffer considerable losses due to road traffic, red foxes and dogs running loose. In recent years, robotic mowers have also become a threat. The drought of recent years has probably further worsened the food supply, they said.
