Wildlife protection in the Ruhr and throughout the city of Essen

Essen, 14. May 2026. The environmental office is increasingly focusing on the protection of native wild animals and is particularly warning of dangers in the green spaces and gardens around Essen. There, as well as in the entire urban area of Essen and beyond, hedgehogs and other wild animals repeatedly suffer serious injuries. Lawnmowers, robotic lawnmowers, grass trimmers and other garden tools are particularly disastrous for the animals when they are overlooked in the tall grass.

Baldeneysee.Ruhr launched an appeal not to use robotic lawnmowers in the evenings, at night, and in the early morning hours to protect nocturnal animals. To draw attention to the issue, the environmental office visited one of the two wildlife rescue centers in Essen, the Igelfreunde Ruhrgebiet e.V. facility, where volunteers sometimes care for injured animals around the clock.

An evaluation by the Hedgehog Friends for the year 2025 highlights the urgency of the issue. A total of 93 hedgehogs were taken in, 28 percent of them with severe lacerations to the head, body, or limbs. Traffic accidents are also among the common causes. The Freiherr-vom-Stein-Straße on the Baldeneysee, in particular, becomes a speed demon hotspot during the day and especially at night. Very few road users adhere to the speed limit. Unfortunately, run-over wild animals, especially hedgehogs and squirrels, are frequently found here. A 30 km/h zone as well as regular speed checks could provide a solution.

Despite intensive care, 62 percent of the severely injured animals died or had to be euthanized, according to official figures. They highlight how crucial rapid medical assistance and specialized treatments are. Sonja Eisenmann, head of the environmental office, emphasizes that the situation would be significantly more dramatic without the commitment of volunteers and the expertise of specially trained veterinarians. Therefore, the cooperation between initiatives, veterinarians, and the city administration is to be further strengthened.

Especially in the popular residential and garden areas around the Baldeneysee, where many green spaces merge into each other, accidents and deaths occur regularly. The environmental agency is therefore appealing to all citizens to be attentive when gardening and to report injured animals immediately. Anyone who finds a hedgehog should contact a rescue center without delay, as every hour counts. Garden owners are also urged to use robotic lawnmowers consciously and to check areas before mowing. 

Foster homes also rely on support, whether through donations, material resources, or volunteer help. Every animal that can be nursed back to health and released back into the wild is a gain for the biodiversity in Essen, especially since the hedgehog is specially protected under the Federal Nature Conservation Act. [Baldeneysee].Ruhr also advocates for the protection of Flora and fauna and Ruhr, performs reconnaissance work and raises awareness of the issue. Because thoughtless action usually happens out of ignorance.