So very sad

[Dee]

Hello,
It’s been a while, a good long while since I last posted on here.
I have been helping/watching hedgehogs in my and my neighbours gardens for a lot of years, so it is with great sadness that I note the drastic decline of hedgehog numbers in my immediate area. The hogs were already here when I moved in almost twenty years ago, at first I wondered what the rustling in the hedge bottom was as I sat outside stargazing….then discovered that they made wonderful, if distracting company.
About ten years back there were some months when you could not step out of the door for falling over hedgehogs.
Over the last two years I have noted that only one or two hogs were to be seen in my immediate vicinity , then just the one.
On Wednesday afternoon I was walking from my house to the bus stop, when about 100metres into my walk I came across one dead hedgehog. Poor thing was in the gutter, looks like it had been hit by a car, also looked like the hog last seen by me on 28th August…..I know hard to tell BUT I have had no sign of hog in my garden to date.
This hog was not on a main road, but finding it did prompt me to have a look at The Big Hedgehog Map…..this made my heart sink, so many killed on the roads.
Where I live has lots of green spaces, park/playing field, school fields and of course lots of gardens a good few of these with hedges, many with fences.
But also I note one or two Hedgehog Holes near me.
Yet I also note changes to some of the gardens around me these past few months, hard standing replacing lawn, fencing replacing big fat old garden hedge…..yet still plenty of land for them if only they could master main road and estate roads.
I have no confidence in seeing hogs in my garden again, yes I know some of the hogs may have had a better offer BUT, the decline in hog numbers to my garden is marked.
Seems I have gone from watching hogs holding what looked like Olympic Games, complete with spectators ( mating madness ) to holding a wake.
Did not mean to ramble.
These lovely creatures have been about for thousands of years and do no harm….
Just in case I will keep water bowls etc topped up. Maybe I will have to go knocking on the door of my neighbours further afield and asking if they too can make hedgehog highways through their gardens…..good job I am used to getting funny looks.
Such sadness, well at least I have been honoured with their presence….fingers crossed I will be again.

[Nic]

Hi Dee

Good to see you on the Forum again.

I have read your other post so have seen a hog has appeared – brilliant! Really pleased for you. But it is sad how much the numbers have declined. I have noticed a marked reduction in numbers here, too. I still have some visiting, but nothing like as many as before.

I think it is definitely a good idea to talk to your neighbours further afield about hog holes, so that you can make a really good hedgehog highway. That way the hogs will have less need to cross roads. Also with more people hard landscaping, they need even more space to find some suitable habitat.

Just on a more positive note, as you hinted at, it’s possible that more other people are feeding the hogs as the words spreads, which could mean less hogs to visit each garden and in some cases possibly none (or none when you are about to see them).

Really glad that you have seen a hog at last. Fingers crossed for it. Not long to hibernation now, so hope it stays safe.

[Dee]

Thanks Nic,
As you say maybe the word is spreading and more people are trying to help hogs.
The hog I saw last evening was a big hedgehog, not one I have knowing seen this year…….course it could be a medium size, from much earlier in the year, grown large.
I am sorry to hear that you too are seeing a decline in hog visitors….lets hope it is because word is getting about.
I have logged my hog sighting on The Big Hedgehog Map, including the poor deceased hog.
I am hoping that The Map may give me a clue as to where to start a link the gardens campaign …..in a quiet polite way of course.
Good to be back on The Forum, heartening to see so many stories of folk and there wonderful hog visitors. I felt sorry for Huffy being displaced by a bigger hog.
Best Wishes.

[julesford]

I had three. One wasnrun over last Wednesday (Tuesday night). We moved it though so it wasn’t the one mentioned in the first post. I was hoping that it wasn’t one of mine but I have had a much quieter time on the wildlife camera since she died. Now I only have one. I’m so so sad too. Irrationally sad 🙁

[Author]

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