Hedgehogs in Crisis: How to Aid Britain's Beloved Wild Animal
With their stumpy legs, questing snouts, and a fierce quiver of needles, hedgehogs are enchantingly strange creatures, often likened to fantasy beings from a medieval bestiary. Ecologist Hugh Warwick, known as "Hedgehog Hugh," emphasises their popularity: "It's the nation's favourite wild animal – every time there's a vote or a poll, the hedgehog wins." However, these beloved animals are facing significant threats that require urgent action.
Why Hedgehogs Need Our Help
Hedgehogs are in serious trouble across the UK. Since 2000, the country has lost between 30% and 75% of its rural hedgehog population. Intensive agriculture practices have led to habitat destruction, while the widespread use of agrochemicals, such as pesticides, has decimated the insect populations that hedgehogs rely on for food. Additionally, hedgehogs are vulnerable to cars, which kill an estimated 167,000 to 335,000 annually, as well as strimmers and the impacts of climate change. Warwick notes, "We think long, warm, wet winters may pull hedgehogs out of hibernation more frequently, which might impact their ability to thrive." Despite these challenges, there is some hope. Grace Johnson, hedgehog officer for the People's Trust for Endangered Species, reports, "We've seen stabilising and early signs of recovery in urban and suburban areas," but she stresses that continued support is essential.
Eight Ways to Support Hedgehogs
1. Engage in Citizen Science
Warwick highlights that conservation work can be done from home: "There's really good conservation work you can do from your sofa." The National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme uses camera footage to collect data on hedgehog numbers and needs volunteers to help identify hedgehogs and other animals in clips. By registering for a MammalWeb account and selecting the NHMP, you can start spotting hedgehogs with guidance provided on the platform.
2. Forge Hedgehog Highways
Creating a 13x13cm gap in or under fences or walls allows hedgehogs to move freely between gardens. Warwick explains, "The ideal habitat for hedgehogs is a mosaic landscape." A network of these holes forms a hedgehog highway, connecting resources like log piles, wildlife-friendly ponds, and compost heaps. Discuss with neighbours to gain agreement and use signs to prevent accidental blockages.
3. Make Your Garden a Hedgehog Buffet
Johnson advises, "Hedgehogs have quite a generalist diet," including caterpillars, beetles, earwigs, and worms. To attract these insects, incorporate a variety of structures such as thick shrubs, wildflowers, ornamental grasses, and patches of bare soil. Features like log and leaf piles are excellent for supporting prey populations. Avoid pesticides, as Warwick warns, "We know that glyphosate has an impact on worms, which are central to hedgehogs' diet."
4. Feed Hedgehogs Carefully
With natural food sources in decline, supplementary feeding can help. Johnson recommends kitten biscuits with guaranteed meat percentages. Place food in a structure, like an upturned plastic box with a hedgehog-sized hole, to prevent other animals from accessing it. Warwick cautions, "Otherwise, you will be feeding the neighbours' cats." Be mindful of potential issues such as disease transmission and over-dependence; moving feeding stations encourages foraging.
5. Create Hedgehog Havens
Hedgehogs need sheltered spots for sleeping. Johnson suggests, "Think about nice little dark, shaded areas." Low, dense shrubs are ideal, or you can install a hedgehog house in a quiet location with deciduous leaves and twigs for bedding.
6. Help Hedgehogs Responsibly
Injured hedgehogs always require assistance. Warwick advises, "If you see a hedgehog during the day looking like it's drunk or sunbathing, listless or wobbly, or if it has flies around it, get it into a box then call a hedgehog rescue." However, Johnson notes that in spring or summer, a hedgehog moving with leaves and twigs may simply be a female building a nest. In winter, hedgehogs should be hibernating, so daytime activity could indicate a problem. Contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society or a local rescue for guidance.
7. Avoid Disturbing Hedgehogs
During hibernation and the breeding season, hedgehogs are particularly vulnerable. Johnson urges, "Make sure you do a thorough, careful check before you do any kind of clearing or gardening." Stay vigilant before mowing or strimming, and leave wild areas undisturbed to provide safe habitats.
8. Be a Hedgehog Advocate
Warwick states, "You don't need a garden to be a hedgehog advocate." Johnson recommends writing to local councils to encourage wildlife-friendly management of public lands, such as incorporating hedgehog highways and log piles in parks. Even sharing information on social media can make a difference, especially as hedgehogs emerge from hibernation needing food and shelter.
By taking these steps, individuals can play a crucial role in supporting hedgehog populations and promoting biodiversity across the UK.
