HogWatch has been working with Kingston Council to investigate the hedgehog population within the borough. In 2021, a survey in the Surbiton area was conducted which found only a few sightings, suggesting the population here is small and in need of conservation action. The results also helped identify an adjacent area, which included residential sites, for further study in 2022. This survey revealed how important garden habitat is for hedgehogs in this area, as high amounts of activity were detected here. Amazingly, the 2022 Kingston survey also detected a pine marten, the first record in London for over a century. Highlighting the importance of biodiversity monitoring and how useful camera traps can be for picking up rare or elusive species.

In 2023, HogWatch and Kingston Council were funded by Internet of Things to monitor hedgehog and other species in real-time using cellular cameras. Surveys showed higher hedgehog activity in parks than in previous years and revealed a strong diversity of mammal and bird species. In 2024, we conducted a survey in North Kingston in an area that had not been surveyed before, enhancing our knowledge of the extent of hedgehog presence across the borough. We also conducted a second survey in 2024, as the Old Malden area in Kingston became one of our NHMP monitoring sites.

In 2024, our collaborative work with Kingston Council was featured on BBC Breakfast. Our survey findings in Old Malden identified this area as a possible hedgehog hotspot. As a result, Kingston Council implemented four “Hedgehogs crossing” road signs in Old Malden to help alert drivers to be aware of their presence. These signs, which are approved by the Department of Transport, are the first official signs to be implemented by a Council in England. Kingston Council has launched a biodiversity partnership which brings together conservation practitioners and groups in the Borough. We are leading the Hedgehog Action Group and contributing to the Hedgehog Species Action Plan. Data from HogWatch surveys in the Borough from the last three years is being used to identify areas to target for hedgehog conservation and connectivity.