Stories
Hedgehog Wins Place on New Bank of England Banknotes Amid Conservation Push
F
Firstpost•19-10-2026, 10:32
Hedgehog Wins Place on New Bank of England Banknotes Amid Conservation Push
- •The Bank of England confirmed that the European hedgehog, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and Atlantic puffin will feature on the next series of banknotes.
- •The hedgehog won the mammals category with 259,665 votes in a public consultation that drew a record 478,531 responses.
- •Conservationists hope featuring the hedgehog on currency will raise awareness and encourage people to make their gardens more hedgehog-friendly.
- •Despite urban populations appearing stable, rural hedgehog numbers have declined significantly since 2000 due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
- •The banknote feature has revived campaigns by conservation groups calling for stronger legal protection for hedgehogs under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Key Questions Answered
The Bank of England confirmed that the European hedgehog, the barn owl, the buff-tailed bumblebee, and the Atlantic puffin will be featured on the next series of £5, £10, £20, and £550 notes. The specific animal placement on each denomination has not yet been decided.
The European hedgehog received 259,665 votes in the public consultation, winning the mammals category by approximately 15,000 votes more than the red fox.
The current banknotes feature Winston Churchill on the £5 note, Jane Austen on the £10 note, JMW Turner on the £20 note, and Alan Turing on the £50 note, though the monarch's portrait will remain.
