Help a hedgehog!
With more and more
people putting up fences in lieu of the traditional hedgerows which separated
houses in days gone by, it is a sad fact that numbers of these cute little
critters are now in huge decline in the UK. In fact, the UK has lost a third of
all its hedgehogs in the last ten years.
Fortunately there is
a large community of people out there who are doing their bit to help hedgehogs.
It’s easy to get involved; all you need to do is make your garden more
hedgehog-friendly. Here are just a few ways you can make life a little easier
for our spiny friends and the nation’s favourite wild animal…
Welcome them
Cut a small hole for
hedgehogs in your garden fence. If you have or are planning to put up fences in
your garden, simply cut a small hole in the fence or gravel board low down to
the ground. You only need to cut a very small gap (about 13cm wide) that will
allow hedgehogs to easily pass from one garden to the next. Simple!
Make them comfy
Build up a pile of
logs and leaves to give hedgehogs and other wildlife a safe place
to hibernate and nest. Once the insects move in, the hedgehogs will
have plenty of food to live on throughout the year. You could even build a
small house out of wood for the hedgehogs in your garden.
Protect them
It’s best to avoid using pesticides or putting down slug pellets in the garden if possible. These things can be dangerous for hedgehogs. Even if they don’t kill the hedgehog, they can affect their ability to reproduce which means fewer hedgehogs and nobody wants that.
Protect them
It’s best to avoid using pesticides or putting down slug pellets in the garden if possible. These things can be dangerous for hedgehogs. Even if they don’t kill the hedgehog, they can affect their ability to reproduce which means fewer hedgehogs and nobody wants that.
Feed them
Feed
hedgehogs with meaty dog or cat food or alternatively they are partial to dried
meal worms and sunflower hearts. Did you know that hedgehogs are lactose
intolerant? For this reason it's not a good idea to feed them milk but a bowl
of water would go down very well.
Become a hedgehog champion
If you're feeling really inspired you can register to become a hedgehog champion on My Hedgehog Street (http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/). And, don't forget that if you spot a hedgehog you can make the little fella/lady famous by adding them to the Big Hedgehog Map (http://bighedgehogmap.org/) which helps to monitor numbers of hedgehogs across the UK.
Become a hedgehog champion
If you're feeling really inspired you can register to become a hedgehog champion on My Hedgehog Street (http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/). And, don't forget that if you spot a hedgehog you can make the little fella/lady famous by adding them to the Big Hedgehog Map (http://bighedgehogmap.org/) which helps to monitor numbers of hedgehogs across the UK.