Hedgehogs are in trouble, with populations declining sharply in both town and countryside – but there are simple, practical things gardeners can do to give them a fighting chance
Hedgehogs benefit from native plants in your garden(Image: Getty)
They’re amongst Britain’s most cherished wild guests, but hedgehogs are facing serious difficulties.
These spiky night-time roamers can trek up to 2km each evening whilst hunting for food and potential partners, sneaking through gaps in barriers, wriggling under gates and foraging around in compost piles or timber stacks.
Numbers have been plummeting dramatically in both urban and rural areas, yet BBC’s Gardeners’ World have revealed straightforward, achievable steps gardeners can take to offer them a real opportunity.
Create access points
One of the most straightforward yet highly effective measures is cutting a small opening at the bottom of your fence, 13cm by 13cm, allowing hedgehogs to move between gardens, reports the Express.
Connecting with neighbours to establish a “hedgehog highway” enables them to explore larger territories whilst searching for food and secure nesting locations.
Plant a hedge
Hedges serve as natural sanctuaries for hedgehogs.
They not only enable animals to move easily between properties, but the dropped leaves and twisted undergrowth underneath offer ideal refuge.
Indigenous varieties like hawthorn, hazel and dog rose will also attract moths and other insects to deposit eggs, increasing the availability of caterpillars – a crucial element of the hedgehog’s diet.
You can help hedgehogs and encourage their visits by doing simple tasks in your garden(Image: Getty)Make ponds safe
Hedgehogs are capable swimmers, but they become exhausted rapidly and may drown if unable to escape.
Should you have a pond, ensure it features gradual, sloping edges.
Alternatively, position a log in the water or drape sturdy netting over the rim so they can scramble out.
Check before strimming
Wildlife hospitals are brimming with hedgehogs injured by garden tools. Always have a look in long grass, leaf piles and hedgerows before using a strimmer.
If you spot a hedgehog, gently move it to a quiet, safe corner before you begin work.
Steer clear of slug pellets
Hedgehogs feast on a wide variety of invertebrates – beetles, caterpillars, worms – but slugs and snails aren’t ideal. Not only can they give hedgehogs lungworm, but traditional slug pellets are highly toxic.
Better alternatives include wildlife-friendly methods such as beer traps, copper tape or hand-picking.
Construct a hedgehog house
Hedgehogs require a dry, secure place to hibernate and raise their young. A purpose-built hedgehog house can be tucked into a north-facing hedge or a quiet corner of the garden.
Cover it with leaves or plastic sheeting for extra insulation, and add a narrow tunnel-like entrance to deter predators.
Provide additional food
While natural forage is best, supplementary food can give hedgehogs a boost – particularly in early spring when they emerge from hibernation. Meat-based cat or dog food (chicken or turkey flavour) and kitten biscuits are ideal.
Avoid bread, milk and mealworms, which can cause serious health problems. Always put out a shallow bowl of water too.
Cultivate native plants
Plants such as honeysuckle, blackthorn and dog rose attract insects whose caterpillars later pupate on the ground – the perfect high-protein snack for passing hedgehogs. More native plants mean more biodiversity, which benefits your garden as well as the wildlife.
Don’t bin leaves and logs
That pile of leaves in the corner of your garden isn’t a mess – it’s potential shelter for a nesting or hibernating hedgehog. Compost heaps, stacks of logs and bundles of twigs are all excellent spots for them to take cover.
Leaving these in place also encourages the insects hedgehogs love to eat.
Inspect bonfires
Bonfire piles are irresistible to hedgehogs looking for somewhere warm to bed down. To avoid tragedy, either build and light your bonfire on the same day, or carefully move the pile before setting it alight.
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