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Increasing Threat to Hedgehogs: Nighttime Mowing Robots
Germany, home to both flourishing robotic lawn mower usage and a significant hedgehog population, is witnessing an alarming rise in hedgehog fatalities caused by these machines. The nocturnal animals, unlike humans, do not flee from slow-moving, quiet mowing robots and often suffer fatal injuries or get killed by their blades.
Julia Stubenbord, the animal protection officer in Baden-Württemberg, explains that hedgehogs curl up instead of fleeing when they encounter the robotic mowers. This unfortunate behavior increases the number of injured hedgehogs, especially as more households opt for automated lawn care.
Local authorities in Cologne, Mainz, and Erfurt, among others, have already implemented a nighttime driving ban for mowing robots to protect hedgehogs from injury. Environmental experts and animal welfare organizations, including the German Federal Environmental Foundation (BUND), have long advocated for this measure.
Last year, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and hedgehog rescue stations reported a total of 370 hedgehogs with injured legs between June 2022 and October 2023. Almost half of the affected hedgehogs did not survive their injuries. The actual number of injured or killed animals is likely much higher, as hedgehogs often hide in shrubs after an accident.
Anne Berger from Leibniz-IZW states that an estimated 60% of the injured hedgehogs were found days or even weeks after the accident. Such prolonged suffering, Berger notes, is a legal violation if alternatives that cause less harm to animals are available.
Beyond mowing robots, the German Wildlife Foundation cites modern agricultural practices and well-kept gardens as major factors contributing to a decline in hedgehog habitats. Hedgehogs often end up roadkill or face food shortages due to the rapid decline in insect populations.
In Germany, the European hedgehog is considered potentially threatened, appearing on the watchlist of the Red List and the international Red List of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
Manufacturers, such as Stihl, acknowledge the risk posed by mowing robots to small wildlife. The company claims to have reduced this risk in the development of its current robot generation, with default mowing plans that exclude nighttime activation. Users who choose to activate the mower at night receive a warning about the potential risks to small animals.
Responsible use of mowing robots, including limiting operation during daylight hours and supervising their operation, is crucial in minimizing harm to hedgehogs and other small wildlife. Some experts suggest that forgoing a mowing robot altogether benefits not just hedgehogs but also insects, amphibians, and other forms of wildlife. A longer, blooming lawn promotes biodiversity.
The risk of hedgehog fatalities due to nighttime operation of mowing robots calls for an update in community policy, emphasizing the importance of daylight hours for robotic lawn care. Incorporating environmental science principles in health-and-wellness practices, such as providing safe environments for wildlife, aids in preventing injury and promoting community harmony with nature.
