Hedgehogs Need Room To Roam
It may surprise you, that hedgehogs are estimated to have a home range of between 25 - 50 acres or 10 - 20 hectares. That’s an area the size of up to 160 olympic-size swimming pools or almost 24 football fields!
Illustration from the children’s book ‘Hedgehog and the Fence’ by Helene Gardiner
Thank goodness that hedgehogs aren’t territorial because right now, British hedgehogs are fighting a battle for survival. In a little more than a decade, we have lost almost half of our British hedgehogs, who are now listed on Britain’s Red List for Mammals.
Reasons For Decline
Reasons for their decline are thought to include habitat loss and fragmentation, an increase in intensive agriculture and a decline in suitable food sources.
Helping Our Hedgehogs
We can all help hedgehogs in their fight for survival. Creating wild areas or vegetative cover in gardens and parks, and maintaining rural field margins and hedgerows, provides habitat and potential food sources for hedgehogs. Learn how to encourage hedgehogs and other wildlife into your garden.
Illustration from the children’s book ‘Hedgehog and the Fence’ by Helene Gardiner
Most importantly, it’s vital that hedgehogs can access areas due to their vast range of territory. You can help hedgehogs by linking up your garden with your neighbours, creating your own hedgehog highway. Learn how to link your garden.
Illustration from the children’s book ‘Hedgehog and the Fence’ by Helene Gardiner
A section of clay or plastic soil pipe - make sure it is a commercial soil pipe, which is a larger diameter of 16cm, rather than a domestic soil pipe, which is only 11cm.
Illustration from the children’s book ‘Hedgehog and the Fence’ by Helene Gardiner
