German Mayors Call for Night-Time Ban on Robot Lawnmowers to Protect Hedgehogs
German mayors have urged a nationwide prohibition on the night-time operation of robot lawnmowers to safeguard hedgehogs and other small nocturnal animals from being killed or severely injured. Recent studies underscore the lethal threat posed by the blades of these automated devices to wildlife active between dusk and dawn, fueling increasing demands for regulatory action.
Habitat Encroachment and Sensor Failures
Urban development and intensive agriculture have significantly encroached on hedgehogs' natural habitats across Germany, forcing these mammals to seek refuge in urban gardens. Hedgehogs, when threatened, instinctively curl into a ball rather than flee, making them exceptionally difficult for robot mowers' sensors to detect, thereby heightening their vulnerability to accidents.
Claudia Kalisch, vice-president of the German federation of cities and mayor of Lüneburg for the Green party, emphasized that cities have become substitute habitats for many species. "Many animals are active in gardens, particularly in the evening hours. They also depend on these green spaces in the immediate vicinity of residential areas," she stated. Kalisch argued that a nationwide ban on night-time mower operation is a logical protective measure, following petitions that garnered tens of thousands of signatures earlier this year.
Manufacturer Responsibility and Conservation Efforts
Kalisch also called on manufacturers of automated garden equipment to develop solutions that prevent harm to small animals. "We are also calling on manufacturers to find solutions to ensure that small animals are no longer endangered by robotic lawnmowers," she said, highlighting this as a key step toward enhancing urban biodiversity and quality of life.
Hedgehogs were added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "near threatened" red list in 2024, with populations declining by at least 30% over the past decade. Beyond lawnmowers, motorized leaf blowers and vacuums pose risks to hibernating hedgehogs, and up to one in three are killed by vehicles, contributing to their drastic decline across Europe.
Research and Legal Protections
Researchers at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Danish colleagues, recently published a study revealing that hedgehogs can hear high-frequency ultrasound, offering potential for sonic repellers to deter them from dangerous roads. Oxford experts have also utilized 3D-printed crash-test-dummy hedgehogs to work with industry toward a certification scheme for "hedgehog-friendly" mowers.
Anne Berger, a study co-author from Germany's Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, noted that injuries from robot lawnmowers place an "enormous burden" on animal care centers. "Moreover, the majority of hedgehogs with cut injuries are found days or weeks after the accident happened and therefore have to endure considerable suffering, pain and harm," she added.
Under German law, hedgehogs are protected, with fines of up to €65,000 for trapping, injuring, or killing them. Several urban areas, including Cologne, Leipzig, and Munich, have already implemented night-time bans on robotic lawnmowers, though a recent attempt by the Greens to impose a statewide ban in Bavaria was unsuccessful.
