Discussion on Nighttime Lawnmower Robots and their Link to Hedgehog Mortality - Proposal for a Worker Radiation Safety Directive Under Consideration by Commission
Hedgehog Deaths Surge from Mowing Robots, Prompting Calls for Nighttime Ban
Garden repair tools, such as mowing robots, have been making a comeback, aiding in lawn maintenance with minimal effort. However, these devices pose a grave danger to hedgehogs, as per Julia Stubenbord, the animal welfare officer for Baden-Württemberg. Hedgehogs, unlike other animals, remain motionless when they encounter robotic mowers, coiling up instead of escaping. This behavior has led to a considerable rise in injured hedgehogs.
In response, the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz (BUND) in Baden-Württemberg and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) are advocating for a nighttime driving ban for these machines to safeguard hedgehogs. Cities like Cologne, Mainz, and Erfurt are among those that have already imposed such restrictions.
Research by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research published in 2024 showed a concerning spike in cut injuries among hedgehogs between late June 2022 and October 2023. Out of the documented 370 cases, about half (nearly 47%) did not survive their injuries. Furthermore, the high number of unreported incidents suggests many more hedgehogs may be suffering or dying unnoticed.
Delays in reporting and aid equally inflict pain, as injured hedgehogs often linger days or weeks before being found, explains Anne Berger from Leibniz-IZW. This prolongs their suffering significantly.
The hedgehog population is dwindling due to several factors, not only robotic mowers. Habitat loss, road accidents, and insufficient food resources – largely attributed to the rapid insect decline – are contributing to their distress. In Germany, the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is listed as "potentially threatened" on the Red List.
Awareness of the need for harmony between advanced gardening tools and wildlife preservation, particularly for vulnerable species such as hedgehogs, is growing. Adopting a nighttime driving ban for mowing robots in gardens would reduce fatalities, protect remaining hedgehog populations, and enable them to safely forage and move at night without the threat of robotic mowers. Measures like these are part of a broader movement towards wildlife-friendly gardening and urban conservation.
Relevant information: The nighttime restriction on robotic lawnmowers to protect hedgehogs during their active hours has already been implemented in the United Kingdom. Its primary aims are to reduce hedgehog fatalities by preventing these machines from operating during the night and ensuring hedgehogs can safely forage and move in gardens unhindered. This initiative reflects an increasing awareness and commitment to balancing garden automation with wildlife conservation.
The growing popularity of garden repair tools, such as mowing robots, has led to an alarming increase in hedgehog injuries, as stated by Julia Stubenbord, the animal welfare officer for Baden-Württemberg. To counteract this, environmental-science organizations, like the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz (BUND) and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW), are advocating for a nighttime driving ban for mowing robots to safeguard hedgehog communities and the environment.
The implementation of such a ban could not only reduce hedgehog fatalities but also promote a lifestyle that takes heed of the health and environment, ensuring the safety of these animals and preserving wildlife as part of a broader movement towards a more wildlife-friendly garden-and-lifestyle strategy.
