According to new research from the State of Britain’s Hedgehogs, hedgehog numbers are significantly down in rural areas but seem to be recovering in towns and cities. Though this shows that there is hope that hedgehog populations are starting to recover, there are concerns that continued development which is seeing the destruction of hedgerows, will further drive the decline.
One way to help our prickly friends and help keep them thriving is to hedgehog proof your garden – if you have one.
Here are some tips:
Check all hedges and undergrowth before trimming or clipping
Hedgehogs love to live in hedgerows and similar environments, so make sure before you do any gardening that you aren’t disturbing anyone’s home.
Make a home for them to hibernate
During the colder months, hedgehogs hibernate, so help them by providing a safe space.
Check all fire pits and bonfires before lighting them
As hedgehogs like to hibernate in the colder months, make a note of this one in case you hold a bonfire night celebration – if you regularly burn materials on your property, make sure to check your burn pits before setting light to them, just in case!
Leave a corner of your garden ‘wild’
You know how council’s and open spaces have been leaving sections of their grounds to go wild? Well this is a great way to keep wildlife, including hedgehogs, thriving. Of course, not everyone has space to do this, but if you have a little corner you can leave to do its own thing, the hedgehogs will thank you!
Make sure to leave little gaps in your fences
If you live in a row of houses with gardens that are separated by fences, see if you can leave little gaps between yours and your neighbours gardens so that hedgehogs can move around between them. Hedgehogs like to explore and can walk a fair distance, so its important that they can get about.
See if you can create a hedgehog highway around town
Similarly, to the above, those of us without gardens can also get involved by finding out if there is a local hedgehog protection group and joining in their efforts to create a hedgehog highway. These gaps between gardens and other green spaces give the hedgehogs safe and easy passage around town.
Feed them
Did you know that several pet shops now stock hedgehog food? Unlike cat food which is often used as an alternative, hedgehog food is designed for hedgehog’s specific needs. In the wild, if they don’t reach a certain weight, they can’t hibernate, so if you see a skinny hedgehog, help them fatten up for the winter.
