HogWatch has been working in collaboration with Barnes Common, Barnes Hedgehogs, and Richmond Council to survey in the Barnes area since 2018. We identified this area as a potential hedgehog hotspot after our initial survey of Barnes Common and Putney Lower revealed high hedgehog activity. Since then, many other areas in Barnes have been surveyed and revealed a large hedgehog distribution in the area.

Unfortunately, our analysis has shown a decline in abundance and distribution over the six-year monitoring period, especially on Barnes Common. Reasons for this decline are unknown, but we continue to monitor the area and support local conservation strategies. However, recent results have been promising and show the population increasing again. Our results suggest that gardens are acting as important refuges for hedgehogs here and Barnes Hedgehogs continues the important work of putting holes in fences to create hedgehog highways to help conserve this population. In 2023, Barnes Common became one of our NHMP monitoring sites and will continue to be monitored through this programme in the coming years.

In 2025, Barnes Common collaborated with Richmond Council to install ‘small animal warning signs’, which depict hedgehogs, around Barnes. Roads have been targeted for the signs from areas identified by London HogWatch as hedgehog hotspots. Nine of the signs have been installed on roads surrounding, or in proximity to the Common.