Hedgehogs in the Spotlight

This is Hedgehog Awareness Week, so it only seems fitting to put hedgehogs centre stage. They may be one of the UK's favourite mammals, but did you know that The State of Britain's Hedgehogs 2022 report revealed that hedgehogs have declined between 30-75% across different areas of the UK since 2000? That's why they are now classified as "vulnerable to extinction". A very sad state of affairs for an animal which is so loved.

Whether it's being near-fatally strimmed, knocked down by cars, trapped in cattle grids or bins, starving, diseased or simply shocked out of hibernation - we get more hedgehogs than any other animal. And we are getting more and more. So, it's our mission to try and reduce the numbers by explaining what everyone can do to help. Before we do that, here are a few facts about our spiny friends:

• The hedgehog has changed little in the past 15 million years, with about 5,000-7,000 spines in a coat that hangs in a loose 'skirt', concealing surprisingly long legs and a short tail.

  

  
  

• Their main diet should be beetles, caterpillars and earthworms. Slugs and snails should only be a supplementary part of their diet. Unfortunately, today's hedgehogs rely on slugs and snails more and more, as their main food sources are scarcer due to the increasing amounts of pesticides and chemicals in our soil. Slugs and snails carry parasites which hedgehogs are very susceptible to, so this is not good news.

• It was once believed that hedgehogs stole milk straight from cows’ udders (!) which may be why people have commonly left milk out for them. But they are lactose intolerant – so no milk please.

• They are very speedy for their size, with a top speed of 9.5km/h - around 5mph. On average they weigh up to 1.5kg.

• Their life span is, on average, 2-3 years, although many hedgehogs' lives are sadly cut short nowadays.

So, how can you help?

• Most nature organisations now recommend feeding hedgehogs all year round, as they need so much support. However, if you prefer not to, please consider feeding them in very dry weather when there can be little natural food around, and in late summer/early autumn in the run-up to them going into hibernation. For our top feeding tips, click here.

• Never cut or strim grass without checking first. Hedgehogs can hide very well, and even more so if they sense you are approaching with a power tool! Our recommended technique is to very gently kick any long grass as you go along. If there is a hedgehog there, you will feel the weight of it against your foot. It will get a shock but much better that kind of shock than being woken by with a gash to the head. Strimming injuries are horrible, sometimes very severe and often fatal.

• Don't tidy your garden too much, leave wild areas. Hedgehogs like to nest under things (e.g. sheds, hedges and brushwood) and need plenty of dry leaves to build their nest.

• Limit or stop using chemicals in your garden. Never use slug pellets or insecticide as affected slugs and insects can be easily ingested by hedgehogs. Only use environmentally-safe wood preservatives on your fences, garden furniture and wooden buildings. And if you do have chemicals in the garden, please store them away from all wildlife.

• Ponds can be fatal for small mammals. Always ensure that it's easy for animals to get out safely if they fall in. Provide gently sloping slipways around the edge of the water to allow animals to escape if they do fall in - half-submerged rocks, large branches or pieces of wood (chemical-free). There is lots of advice online about how to create a safe environment for your hogs, so please do take a look.

  
  

Hedgehogs are one of our most precious garden animals so we hope you can work with us to take care of them. It costs in the region of £30 a day to care for a single hedgehog until it is well enough to return to the wild (including food, medication, gloves, syringes, transportation costs, care costs etc). If you would like to consider supporting our vital hedgehog work, please click here.