Written by Lyric Palmer
European hedgehogs have undergone a dramatic decline in Great Britain. It’s estimated that populations have decreased by as much as 50% in the last twenty years and they’re now considered a priority conservation species in the UK. This decline is largely due to the increased use of pesticides which reduces the amount of food hedgehogs can eat, loss of habitat, and sadly, injury by vehicles on the road.
So, what can you do to help? The good news is that there are simple steps we can all take in our gardens to help make our urban spaces more hedgehog friendly.
We are a team of Sussex students who share a vision – that of making the University of Sussex a ‘Hedgehog Friendly Campus’. We are currently carrying out remote tasks from home to gain the British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s Bronze accreditation and we will be running events you can get involved in on campus as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the meantime, here are our Top Tips for helping hedgehogs in your neighbourhood!
Provide water & food
Ponds are a fantastic way to provide a drinking source for hedgehogs (whilst also attracting an array of other wildlife). If you already have a pond or are thinking of creating one, then it’s important to provide an escape route to prevent drowning. The easiest way to do this is by including a gently sloping side or using materials such as sandbags, rocks or a piece of wood to create a ramp. However, fear not if you haven’t got the space for a pond, you can still help by simply providing a shallow water dish.
Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, so don’t give them milk (bread and milk is an old wives tale). If you would like to provide supper for a hog it’s best to give them meat-based pet food.
Search for hedgehogs before mowing
Hedgehogs are frequently injured by mowers and strimmers, which in some cases can lead to their death. The best way to prevent these injuries is to simply check the area thoroughly beforehand. This is important even if you aren’t sure whether you have hogs visiting your garden.
Increase connectivity
In recent years an increase in urban development and boundaries, such as roads and fences, has led to a reduced ability for hogs to move freely. The amount of land accessible to them has shrunk massively. After months of lockdown I think we can all relate to the feeling of being cooped up, unable to move freely. But now imagine that you are the size of a hedgehog and are used to travelling up to 2 km a night to feed. Unfortunately, as well as limiting your larder, this will also reduce your chances of finding a mate.
For those of you who are lucky enough to still have favourable habitat such as hedgerows – we recommend you keep them! If you have fences rather than hedges, putting a hedgehog highway in your fence is the best way to increase connectivity. These are made by cutting out a hole (13x13cm) at the bottom of your fence to allow hedgehogs to pass through freely. Once your highway is in place, why not join thousands of other hedgehog heroes up and down the country who have commended their efforts by purchasing a
plaque to place above it. Order yours here.
N.B. Always ensure that you seek permission from your landlord and neighbours where applicable.
Create a hedgehog haven
There couldn’t be a better time to provide a hedgehog home in your garden! If you do this now it will be ready for their search for a safe place to hibernate from October onwards.
You can build one like this which I made easily following these instructions. Alternatively, you can create a home by simply making a log pile in a quiet area of your garden (this will encourage insects too – which is a bonus for hedgehogs!).
Avoid use netting and wire mesh
Hedgehogs are regularly admitted to wildlife rescue centres suffering nasty injuries because of entanglement. Some of the common culprits are football nets, wire, plastic netting and litter. These casualties can be prevented by avoiding the use of such items - if you do use them ensure they are tied up at least 30 cm off the ground at the end of the day, so that when hedgehogs are active at night, they can roam without getting trapped.
Say goodbye to chemicals
Please don’t use slug pellets in your garden. Hedgehogs may eat them and they will be harmed. Also, if the slugs are eaten by hogs, it then puts them at risk of secondary poisoning! Instead try using natural slug repellents such as wool, eggshell or beer traps.
Lay off herbicides (weed killer) as it decreases earthworm populations – and these are a key yummy item on a hogs menu.
Keep it messy!
Become a messy gardener – this has got to be our easiest tip to follow! Hedgehogs need a variety of habitats to thrive, so leave an area of long grass and of shorter grass. By providing overgrown areas with shrubs and wild plants you are likely to attract more insects. If you leave bramble patches and leaves, you could well make the perfect place for a hedgehog to nest!
Finally, if you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of these elusive treasures then you can also play a role in conservation by ensuring that you record your sighting here.
We’d love for you to share your spiky stories and photos with us here at Sussex Hedgehog Friendly Campus! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates and to find out how you can get involved.