A few weeks ago we had the privilage to watch two young hedgehogs making there way through our back garden as the daylight began to fade away. It was a heartwarming sight.
We regularly see hedgehogs, not least because Big Boy Bertus has a habit of softly picking them up and leavng them by our back door, at which point I pick them up and take them to a safe spot to re-release them.
The two we saw were relatively small and need to put on bodyweight to survive the coming winter (under 650g is a risk to survival).
Hedgehogs can have two nests per year of up to six 'hoglets", and unfortunately the odds are stacked against Hoglets from the later nests, as they have less time to build up the required bodyweght for surviving the winter.
There are steps you can take to help hedgehogs generally and at the end of tis article I will list a number of valuable web based resources which I have come across for anyone interested and concerned enough to help these facinating animals.
These iconic animals badly need our help. A familiar species to europeans, they are in serious decline in many areas. In fact they are a classic example of how the slow evolutionary processes of nature simply cannot cope with the rapid pace of change being unleashed on the world by us humans..
Their habitat (they love hedges and gardens) is being lost at an alarming rate. In England the process of stripping hedges away from agricultural areas has had a big impact as has the widespread use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Domestic gardens have become an important refuge for these animals but here too a government inspired change of planning emphasis has resulted in intensive loss of this habitat through developement.
Changes in gardening trends and fashions have rendered many modern gardens widlife unfriendly, poor in habitat, poor in food and water resources, and often sealed off from much of the natural world.
By this I mean, that modern fencing often leaves no means of access to back gardens, and hedgehogs and other wild creatures need access points (small gaps of at least 12 cm at ground level are needed).
As hedgehogs can roam up to 2 km per night this lack of access to gardens often has the effect of forcing them onto roads where they are particularly vulnerable.. Dead hedgehogs used to be a familiar sight on roads in england, but no more. Simply there are now a lot less of them to be killed.
Hegehogs have evolved over millions of years. Nocturnal animals they developed a number of mechanisms to help them survive including the skill to hibernate in a state of suspended animation over the barren winter months.
They developed spikes and their survival strategy of curling up into a tight ball of spikes served them very well over the years. They did not need to run away. They had evolved perfectly, to fullfill their niche in the scheme of things, the balance that existed.
Then came the motor car. A phenomena which we take for granted but which in less than 100 years has changed everything. We modernised our lives , our society our enviroment.
Processes which have been slowly evolving since the birth of our planet where suddenly confronted by a massive tide of change which has been unleashed by us. This tide just keeps rising.
Millions of years of evolution has proved unable to cope with our rapid innovation. Behaviour which was always an advantage has suddenly become a disadvantage.
I was moved to write this piece because over the course of the last week I have seen a huge 'spike' (sorry, I could not resist it!) in the number of dead hedgehogs on the roads. Why was this?
From what I have read it seems that around now (Autumn time) is a peak for road casualties, as young hedgehogs begin to disperse to find their own territories, search for new food resources and ultimately a safe place to overwinter.
Due to our efficiency at sealing off our gardens from the outside world, with fencing that makes no allowance for the movement of wildlife, many are forced onto roadways where their natural defence mechanisms prove disastrous.
Add to this coctail the shorter daylght hours which result in the busy commuting periods on the roads being made in the dark (when these nocturnal animals are active), and you have carnage on our roads.
What can you do to help?
Luckily there is a wealth of resources available to any one who wishes to help.
www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk (the website for the British Hedgehog preservation society) contains information on what to do if you you find and are concerned about a hedgehog, with a telephone number for further advice.
www.hedgehogstreet.org is seeking support for its campaign, and is also a valuable source of information.
www.prickleshedgehogrescue.org.uk is another valuable resource for anyone interested in helping.
http://www.sttiggywinkels.org is another.
http://www.nurturing-nature.co.uk also has usefull tips and ideas.
Consider trying to help these animals by making allowance for them in your garden.
Remember that haste kills, so take care on the roads, especially when driving at dawn, dusk and at night time.
Hedge hog numbers are in sharp (sorry!) decline. An estimated 30% in the last 10 years. Since the year 2000 a decline of 50 % is being reported.
Where will we be in 10 years without action?
The sad fact is that wherever you are in the world you will find species like the hedgehog that are struggling to survive.... this is not a problem confined to other more exotic locations.
Wherever you find yourself, there will be a way for you to personally contribute to help these endangered species, IF ... you care enough to help.
Look around you , and please let me know of any examples like this in your own area. This is after all a world wide problem.
With thanks to the many organisations and individuals doing valuable work in this area. It is not possible to list them all here.