Hedgehog Awareness Week

Hedgehog Awareness Week aims to raise the profile of the Britain’s only spiny mammal. This year the Charity is asking people create their very own hedgehog haven! Gardens are a stronghold for hedgehogs, and we can make their lives so much easier with very little effort! Tips will be given out on the charity’s social media accounts during the week using #hedgehogweek with daily competitions to win hedgehoggy prizes.

There are many things we can all do to help hedgehogs; here are just a few:

• Make sure hedgehogs can access your garden with a ‘Hedgehog Highway’ a 5” x 5” (13 x 13cm) square gap in the bottom of fences or walls should do it! Once created you can log these on the BIG Hedgehog Map at www.bighedgehogmap.org

• Create a log pile that will offer shelter and natural food.

• Build a Hedgehog Home (see plans at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/hedgehog-homes).

• Move piles of rubbish to a new site on the day you are burning it and check it carefully before setting light to it, lighting from only one side so that there’s an escape route should you have missed anything.

• Check areas carefully before mowing or strimming.

• Ensure netting is kept at a height that allows hedgehogs to pass safely under it.

• Check compost heaps carefully before digging the fork in.

• Stop using pesticides and poisons.

• Cover drains or deep holes.

• Ensure there is an easy route out of ponds & pools.