Happy Birthday to us!
This year we’re celebrating our 10th birthday! Hedgehog Street was launched in 2011, when wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) joined forces to raise awareness and champion the humble hedgehog.
Here’s just some of the highlights of the last 10 years:
- Over 100,000 hedgehog sightings logged on the BIG Hedgehog Map.
- Nearly 100,000 Hedgehog Champions (can you register for free and help us get to the magic number this year?)
- Worked with developers to make numerous new-build sites hedgehog-friendly.
- The production of a Hedgehog Street app, allowing Hedgehog Champions to easily log hedgehog sightings and submit photos on the go.
Help us celebrate!
Can you do 10 things for hedgehogs this year?
To celebrate our 10th birthday, we want as many people as possible to do 10 things to help hedgehogs!
You can also take the Hedgehog Garden Challenge to see if you have a hedgehog haven or a nocturnal nightmare. Take the challenge to see how your garden rates and get some tailored tips for improvement!
Get your garden ready for hedgehogs
1. Hedgehog Highways; link your garden with 13cm square gaps in fences to allow hedgehogs access to as many gardens as possible.
2. Create a wild corner; leaving an area of the garden wild and undisturbed will provide nesting materials and insect prey for hedgehogs.
3. Leave out food and water; meaty cat or dog food will supplement a hedgehog’s natural diet of creepy crawlies. Don’t forget a shallow dish of clean fresh water too.
4. Make a home for hedgehogs; a log pile or more structured hedgehog house will provide a safe nesting site for hedgehogs.
Look out for hazards
5. Make ponds safe; hedgehogs can get trapped in slippery steep-sided ponds so ensure yours has shallow sides or an escape ramp.
6. Deal with litter and netting; removing litter and tying up loose garden netting will prevent hedgehogs getting tangled and trapped.
7. Stop using chemicals; lawn treatments and slug pellets reduce invertebrate numbers, and may cause direct harm too, so go organic for hedgehogs.
8. Check before strimming/mowing; check areas carefully before using garden equipment to prevent any nasty accidents.
9. Take care with bonfires; build or move a bonfire on the day of burning to make sure there are no hedgehogs hiding inside.
And finally, spread the word!
10. Spread the word; become a Hedgehog Champion with Hedgehog Street and help us raise awareness with friends, family and on social media.
*NB: Hedgehogs are nocturnal, and while they are sometimes seen in daylight on light summer evenings like in the above photo, it can also be a sign they are in need of help. Please seek advice from BHPS if you’re ever concerned about a hedgehog.
