Annual torchlight surveys of hedgehog populations in Regents Park have been conducted by The Royal Parks Regent’s Park Hedgehog Research Project since 2014. London HogWatch has been completing large-scale camera trap surveys in Regents Park since 2016, to help contribute knowledge on this population.

Both torchlight and camera surveys have shown fluctuations in the hedgehog population but overall, a decline in the last decade. This is now thought to be the last breeding population in central London, which has become small and isolated, making Regents Park a vital area for hedgehog conservation within London.  

Findings from Dr Jessica Turner (who completed her PhD on the genetics of London’s hedgehogs with HogWatch) identified that the Regent’s Park population is highly inbreed compared to neighbouring central London and greater London populations. She has now been hired to write genetic and telemetric monitoring protocols. Alongside Dr Turner, Hogwatch is actively involved in the Regents Park Hedgehog Research Project examining how to improve the conservation status of this isolated population in central London.

Continuing from previous camera trap surveys in summer 2025 we will survey Regents Park again. This survey will be part-funded by Raffles Hotel in London and their staff will volunteer to help deploy cameras. Though this population has been monitored through spotlight surveys over recent years, the camera trap survey will provide important information on potential changes in hedgehog distributions across the park in response to recent conservation efforts.