Small changes could prove lifesaving for one of the UK’s favourite wild animals as hedgehogs wake up from hibernation.
Gardeners and homeowners are being urged to take simple steps to help protect hedgehogs, whose numbers have fallen by up to 75 per cent in rural areas in the past 20 years.
The call comes from MyBuilder.com as part of their Help the Hedgehogs campaign, supported by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS).
Andy Simms from MyBuilder.com said: “Even if you only have a small garden or driveway area, there are improvements you can make to support hedgehogs.
“A really important step to take is to make sure that the animals can access your garden from other areas, so cutting a small 13cmx13cm square gaps in the bottom of fencing or hedging can be really beneficial to them.
“Building a hedgehog house is also a great way to help provide shelter and protection – and can easily be done with a small amount of timber.”
A really important step is creating a hedgehog highway through fencing or hedges (Image: Christopher Morgan and Hedgehog Street)
The campaign coincides with Hedgehog Awareness Week, running from May 3-9.
Hedgehogs face multiple threats in UK gardens, including pesticides, mowers, strimmers, uncovered drains and netting.
Fay Vass, chief executive of the BHPS, said: “Every year, thousands of hedgehogs are needlessly injured or killed in our gardens by mowers, strimmers, pesticides, netting and uncovered drains.
“Much of this can be avoided with just a few simple actions.
“With hedgehog populations in steep decline across the UK, we’re urging people to act now – a few small changes can make a life-saving difference to a hedgehog.”
Other recommendations include checking long grass before mowing, avoiding slug pellets, covering drains, and providing ramps in ponds or pools to prevent hedgehogs from drowning.
For more information and a full guide on how to create a hedgehog-friendly garden, visit www.mybuilder.com/blog/help-the-hedgehogs.
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