hedgehogs under threat survey

[civilservant]

The British hedgehog population is in serious trouble - they are now officially an endangered species with some forecasts suggesting that they'll be extinct in this country by 2025 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2006/jan/17/g2.ruralaffairs.

The Hedgehog Hibernation Survey has just been launched to try to understand the decline, which gives me an excuse to post some appealing hog pics from the BBC to mark the event - http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21249195

What ED lacks is hedgehogs, so it's likely that none of us in ED is going to be able to contribute to the survey.

However, here's a link to things we CAN do to help http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/pages/hedgehog-campaign.html and a link to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society Facebook page here - http://www.facebook.com/pages/British-Hedgehog-Preservation-Society/273196350835 (thanks, Sue!)

[jonco]

Just seen your post here civilservant and thought you might be interested to know that there are hogs in the area - I saw one on Greendale last year - more details and a picture on the blog here - http://keepinggreendalegreen.tumblr.com/post/47179030229/hedgehogs-redux.

[WorkingMummy]

Thanks CivilServant, have enrolled.

[civilservant]

thanks for the encouraging news, jonco - that's my commuting route and I will keep a hopeful eye out for Greendale hogs!

attagirl, workingmummy, thanks!

[fl0wer]

To hibernate successfully the next generation of hedgehogs needs to

(a)put on enough weight during the autumn - territory takes in on average 5 gardens, access can be beneath the fence....

(b)have a safe refuge for several months during frosty season. A generous wood pile with spaces full of dry leaves is ideal.

For this reason, plus the fact that dragonflies (and many other invertebrates) need dead wood for part of their life cycle, I was sorry to see someone taking fallen branches for firewood on One Tree Hill last week.

[civilservant]

and ©people need to remember to check woodpiles before lighting them on Bonfire night!

ETA hogs will eat catfood - bread and milk doesn't agree with them