A hedgehog sniffing around in the dusk was once a common sight - but experts warn it may soon become a thing of the past . One in five people have never seen a hedgehog in their gardens , according to a wildlife survey . And of those who do spot the tiny animals , only a quarter see them frequently , the RSPB found . The startling figures confirm fears that the small British mammal is suffering a huge decline . There are thought to be less than 1 million hedgehogs living in this country today , an estimated 30 per cent drop since 2013 . One in five people have never seen a hedgehog in their gardens , according to a new wildlife survey . Part of the reason is the widespread loss of the traditional hedgerows that used to line every country road . But the loss of bushes and hedges in back gardens is also thought to have played a role in the animal ’ s demise . Mark Eaton , conservation scientist at the RSPB , said that the popularity of hard wooden or metal fences has made it hard for hedgehogs to move from place to place . As they become isolated in smaller and smaller areas of greenery , they can not feed or mate . ‘ A few decades ago there were tens of millions of hedgehogs in Britain , now we think there are maybe 1 million left , ’ Mr Eaton said . ‘ Most of the reason is down to the change in the way we manage our countryside - the loss of hedgerows and woodlands has removed their habitat and the increase in the use of pesticides has removed a lot of the beetles and other animals they feed on . ‘ But there are concerns about the way we garden as well . ‘ Hedgehogs have to make their way through the maze of back gardens , trying to find gaps in fences . ‘ It doesn ’ t matter if you have a garden with the most juicy hedgehog food , with lots of slugs and worms - if you fence them out , they are not going to get in. ’ Part of the reason is the widespread loss of the traditional hedgerows that used to line every country road . Cutting holes of just a few inches - about the size of a CD - is enough for a hedgehog to get through a fence , experts say . More than 420,000 people provided information about the wildlife in their back garden as part of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch . Some 65 per cent said they had seen a hedgehog in the last year - but only 28 per cent saw them once a month or more . Some 20 per cent of participants had never seen a hedgehog in their garden . People were more likely to see a non-native grey squirrel than native hedgehogs , with squirrels spotted in 74 per cent of gardens at least monthly throughout the year . Red squirrels , which have been lost from large parts of the country , were seen at least monthly in just 2 per cent of gardens . Conservationists are worried that once-common snakes are also vanishing . Six out of ten people reported they had never seen a grass snakes and half had never seen a slow worm , another variety of snake . Daniel Hayhow , RSPB conservation scientist , said : ‘ Despite remaining widespread in many areas of the UK , important habitats for slow worms and grass snakes have been lost . ‘ As gardens become tidier , reptile homes have been lost , leaving a shortage of habitats in which to live and breed . Piles of logs , compost heaps and ponds provide ideal warm , sheltered environments for these species to breed , find food and to hibernate. ’ Henry Johnson , hedgehog officer for the People ’ s Trust for Endangered Species , urged people to take steps in their garden to help hedgehogs find food and shelter . He said : ‘ Spotting animals is just the start . For more people to see hedgehogs in the future , we need more holes in fences , joining up gardens , and more insect-friendly gardening . ’
One in Only a quarter people have never seen a hedgehog in their back gardens . five of those who do admitted seeing the animals frequently . Wildlife survey suggested the small British mammal is in huge decline . There are thought to be less than 1 million hedgehogs in the country .