Organised by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), the first week of May, is all about raising awareness of the problems faced by UK hedgehogs, and what we can all do, to make a difference.
Naturally, we thought this the perfect time to think about how we can make our gardens a little more hedgehog-friendly.
Why Hedgehogs Need Help
In the UK research shows hedgehogs are in decline, and they are listed as ‘Vulnerable’, on Britain’s Red List of mammals. The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2022 report, produced by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), shows the plight of hedgehogs differs significantly across the UK.
“The rural populations are continuing to plummet. They’ve been declining by 30% to 75% across different areas of the countryside since the year 2000. In contrast, the urban hedgehog seems to have stabilised and might even be starting to recover after having previously also been in freefall. So that’s a glimmer of hope.”
Fay Vass, BHPS
Here are our top ways for creating a hedgehog-friendly environment
- Hedgehog Highway
A 13x13cm gap at the bottom of a fence will allow hedgehogs to roam freely. Hedgehogs forage for miles at night, connecting gardens enables them to do it safely. - Log pile.
A pile of wood, left to rot down naturally, in your garden, will encourage beetles and their grubs – both brilliant food for hedgehogs. - Keep them safe
Always check areas of grass before strimming, or even better leave it long! Make sure your pond has an exit point and large holes or drains are covered at night. - Add a hedgehog home 🏡😍
Nocturnal hedgehogs need somewhere to sleep during the day. This can be a patch of long grass, leaf litter left under a hedge, or an untidy corner of your garden. - No chemicals
Stop using pesticides, like slug pellets, in the garden. - Fresh water
A saucer of fresh water is good for thirsty wildlife. - Extra food
If you know you have nocturnal hedgehog visitors, you can supplement their diet with hedgehog food or meat-based kitten biscuits put down in the evening.
What Is A Hedgehog Highway
A 13x13cm gap at the base of a fence, is the perfect sized access point for hedgehogs, and small enough to keep most household pets safe. Hedgehogs can roam as far as 3km a night, in search of food or a mate, a single garden is much too small for a hedgehog’s survival. Creating wildlife corridors between gardens, is a way to help provide a safe passageway away from busy roads. The Seedball Hedgehog Highway provides a stylish entrance, whilst letting people know what you’re up to. Why not see if you can get your neighbourhood involved too.
Create a hedgehog-friendly wildflower area
A wildflower patch is a super addition for a hedgehog-friendly garden, not only in providing shelter, but importantly to attract a whole range of tasty insects for hedgehogs to feed on. Yum!
The Seedball Hedgehog Mix naturally attracts beneficial insects, which in turn, provide food for hedgehogs. Containing Yellow Rattle, Wild Carrot, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Tufted Vetch, Self Heal and Poppy.
PLUS: Proceeds from the sale of every tin go to supporting People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) in their hedgehog conservation work.
Some preferred hedgehog snacks!
Hedgehogs are insectivores, they prefer to beetles, caterpillars, insects and earthworms.
