Bremen takes measures: Night ban on robotic lawnmowers to protect hedgehogs!

Bremen takes measures: Night ban on robotic lawnmowers to protect hedgehogs!

From October 17, 2025, a ban on robotic lawnmowers during the night will come into force in Bremen. The city's Environmental Senate made this decision to protect the endangered hedgehog and other wild animals. In the future, robotic lawnmowers may only be used from 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset. Violation of this regulation can be punished with fines of up to 25,000 euros, even if no animal is injured. Finance Senator Björn Fecker from the Greens emphasizes the importance of protecting endangered species.

The numbers speak for themselves: the hedgehog population in Germany, which is on the early warning list of the Red List in Lower Saxony, is drastically declining. According to NABU Lower Saxony, the use of robotic lawnmowers poses a growing threat to these small animals, which are primarily active at dusk and at night. They are particularly vulnerable during their nocturnal forays for food, as they are not flight animals and only curl up when threatened. The sharp, rapidly rotating blades of the robotic lawnmowers can cause fatal injuries, which further increases the danger.

Night driving bans are trending

The ban in Bremen is not alone. More and more cities in Germany are imposing similar night driving bans for robotic lawnmowers in order to give the hedgehogs a chance. Loud CONVENTION Municipalities such as Cologne and Nuthetal are already pioneers in this initiative in 2024. There are currently night driving bans in Göttingen, Hildesheim, Bayreuth, Chemnitz, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Erfurt, Herne, Leipzig and Mainz, among others. These regulations usually apply from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise.

It's not just robotic lawnmowers that endanger hedgehogs, the destruction of their habitats also contributes to the danger. The NABU is therefore calling for a nationwide night driving ban for all robotic lawnmowers in order to protect the hedgehog population and biodiversity. Because fewer insects also means less food for hedgehogs, forcing them to use unhealthy food sources such as snails, which carry parasites.

Tips for a hedgehog-friendly garden

To prevent hedgehogs from becoming further endangered, nature conservation groups recommend some measures to make gardens more hedgehog-friendly:

• Einheimische Stauden und Gehölze pflanzen.
• Auf Pestizide und Chemikalien verzichten.
• Laub, Äste und Gestrüpp als Nistmaterial belassen.
• Durchgänge zu Nachbargärten einrichten.
• Mähroboter und häufiges Mähen vermeiden.
• Kräuterrasen statt klassischen Nutzrasen wählen.

The NABU also warns that neighbors should be informed about the dangers of robotic lawnmowers and ask about night driving bans in their own community.

Overall, it is important to offer hedgehogs a safe habitat again and stop their decline - because they are on the red list. With its ban, the Environmental Senate in Bremen has taken a first important step in the right direction.

While Lower Saxony's environment minister is thinking about introducing automatic hedgehog detection, NABU considers this measure to be inadequate. It remains to be seen what further steps will be taken to protect hedgehogs.