Hedgehog Awareness

We are currently in the middle of Hedgehog Awareness Week.

Hedgehogs are still a fairly common sight in the UK, but their numbers are declining. Life can be a bit dangerous for a garden hedgehog – every November, we're reminded to check for hedgehogs before lighting the Guy Fawkes Night bonfire, but why stop at that? There are plenty of other things you can do to make the world a friendlier place for these much-loved creatures; and maybe the current reduction in road traffic is giving them a boost.
What is Hedgehog Awareness Week?

Hedgehog Awareness Week is an annual celebration organised by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). The event's primary aim is to highlight both the problems faced by hedgehogs and the changes that humans can make to help protect them.The message for Hedgehog Awareness Week 2020 is: talk to your neighbours! The BHPS is challenging every hedgehog lover to speak to at least 5 other people in their area in order to "make the whole street hedgehog friendly". Whilst of course maintaining distancing rules.

Here are some of the simple steps you can take to help your local hedgehogs:

• Create a hedgehog highway! Encourage each person on your street to make a small gap in their garden wall or fence (about 5 inches square – the size of a CD case) for hedgehogs to crawl through
• Offer shelter and food for the hedgehogs who pass through your garden
• Check for hedgehogs before using a lawn mower, electric strimmer or garden fork
• Cover up drains and any other holes that a hedgehog might fall into
• Don't use pesticides or poisons in your garden if you can avoid doing so