Hedgehogs
Table of Contents
Introduction
Hedgehogs range live in Asia, Europe, and Africa. They have sharp quills and hunt for bugs at night, making them friends of gardeners and farmers alike!
If you live in a country where hedgehogs are native, you can try to help your local hedgehogs or support your local wildlife groups.
You can help them locally if you have access to the following places:
Since farms use almost 50% of habitable land, farmer actions have the biggest impact on hedgehog habitats. Go pesticide free, and consider making other changes to help these little creatures!
Dew ponds are ancient water harvesting infrastructure build in the UK and other parts of Europe. They are somewhat mysterious, can survive for centuries, and (when restored or maintained) can provide critical habitat for wildife.
Hedgehogs love messy gardens with plenty of wild plants to investigate, but they may also hibernate in any log piles, so check before burning, or don't burn at all!
These are wonderful for providing water, but can be dangerous to our short-legged friends, so include a ramp or similar intervention to help them climb out, so that they don't drown when they try to get a drink.
Hedgerows
Much like their names imply, hedgehogs love hedges, which provide them with shelter and food sources.
Threats to Hedgehogs
Habitat Loss & Fragmentation
In Europe, century-old hedges are being neglected, or even torn down to create larger farms or urban areas.
Insecticides
Slug pellets and other types of poison not only kill of the prey of animals including hedgehogs and endangered birds, but the poisons can also harm these predators directly. If they consume multiple bugs that have come into contact with poison, the poison can bioaccumulate to make them sick or even kill them.
Poaching
The Pet Trade
These are cute animals, but please think twice before buying them from pet shops!
Many exotic "pets" including birds and fish are violently poached from the wild, meaning they can no long perform their biological functions for the environment. They are often so stressed and improperly cared for than shockingly high numbers of these "pets" never actually make it to pet shops, or die shortly after being taken to their new homes.
Medicine
In some places, people believe that the quills of hedgehogs have medicinal qualities, even though they are made of the same material as finger nails.
Never buy medicines made from hedgehog quills, as they support this illegal activity, and won't help your health at all.
Solutions
Help Hedghogs in Your Garden
The following tips are suggested by Hedgehog Street, and include solutions such as avoiding pesticide use, creating hedgehog homes such as log piles, and putting a ramp in your garden pond so that they can drink but not drown.
Hedgehog Highways
Every small action can help expand hedgehog habitat, but the species will have even better success if we can coordinate with others in our community to create true wildlife corridors, both big and small.
The following are a few ways we can each help these small animals on a personal property scale. So try one or more out, and help spread the word!
Hedges
Hedges provide hiding spaces plus food for hedgehogs. Instead of impervious barriers, they can instead function as wildlife corridors.
Hedges can provide additional benefits to humans including blocking light and noise pollution. Depending on the species you plant, you can harvest the bushes berries, nuts, and enjoy watching pollinators visit the flowers. Try to pick native species!
Holes
If you have a wood, metal, cement, brick, or stone barrier, consider adding a hole, or including holes in the original design.
Raised Fences
Metal or wood fences can be raised off the ground a little to provide enough room for small animals including hedgehogs to crawl under, while keeping in larger animals such as dogs or human children.
Remove Old or Unnecessary Fencing
Barriers which are damaged or not needed can cause more harm than good, so consider removing old barriers if they aren't protected for historical preservation reasons, and aren't serving their original purpose. For example if livestock or dogs are no longer present, or your kids are old enough to avoid running into busy roads.
Record & Report Sightings
These can help scientists, conservationists, and developers understand where hedgehogs hang out, which can help us determine how to help these little animals.
UK
Mammal Mapper "is a free app where you can record signs and sightings of mammals in the UK. Mammals can be recorded along a route whilst you’re walking, running, cycling or even a passenger in a car, or as one-off sightings, for example a hedgehog in your garden."
Northern Ireland
CEDaR (Center for Environmental Data and Recording) Online Recording Click the link to see what projects are available. They have specific links for Owls, Butterflies, Marine, Invasive Species, Lady Birds and more! Some of the links will take you to projects for specific regions including the Ring of Gullion and Belfast Hills.
Non-Lethal Pest Control
Slug and snail pellets not only kill off a hedgehog's prey, but if the hedg
Resources & Tools
Hedgehog Street: Toolkits to Get Started "Are you wondering how to start helping hedgehogs? We have lots of free resources you can use, but it can be a bit overwhelming knowing where to start. We have put together some toolkits with all the resources you need, just click on your area and sign up to get started." Select from the toolkits designed for Individuals, Students, Schools, Towns, Developers, Land Managers, and Farmers
How to Help Hedgehogs
Link Your Garden "Ensuring hedgehogs can pass freely through your garden is one of the most important things you can do to help them."
Hedgehog Highway Signs & Homes for Sale
NHBS: Hedgehog Homes This page also offers signs and hedgehog hole doorway protector.
3D Print Designs for Hedgehogs
Printables: Hedgehog Gate "Add a hedgehog gate to your fence and let your friends in for a visit.
Make a hole in the fence and use zip-ties to secure the fence wires to keep the way open and fix the gate in place. Look closely at the picture to see an example how it can be done.
The model is quite large, it uses almost the entire MK3 build plate. The entrance is 13x13cm and should let all hedgehogs through, please do not make remixes with a smaller hole."
Printables: Hedgehog Watering Bowl "This is a water bowl for Hedgehogs and other small thirsty critters. I suggest printing it in with fuzzy skin for better traction. It has a built in ramp for safety."
Organizations
Europe
UK
Mammal Society "a UK based charity devoted to the study and conservation of the mammals of the British Isles. We aim to raise awareness of the issues mammals face and share our scientific research so they can be best protected in the future. Although a small team we are mighty, and are dedicated to helping mammals across the nation."
Maps
Europe
UK
Big Hedgehog Map (Interactive) Enter your post code to see where hedgehogs have been spotted.
Grants & Funding
Europe
UK
National award schemes There are a number of key organizations offering grants and advice to community based projects e.g.
Big Lottery Fund "Groups can apply to us for funding under £20,000, or over £20,001, depending on what they want to do."
Heritage Fund "We fund projects of all sizes that connect people and communities to the UK’s heritage."