Hedgehogs are one of our most beloved wild animals in Britain. Unfortunately, their numbers have been steadily declining over the years, by over 66% in fact.
The problem for hedgehogs
Some of the main reasons of the decline in urban hedgehogs are due to loss of connective habitat, due to fences in gardens that they can’t get through, often causing unviable populations which can become extinct.
Hedgehogs are used to covering long distances every night in search of food or a mate, however, most of our gardens are no longer accessible to them, due to solid fencing, with no gaps.
You can help hedgehogs by creating a hedgehog highway in your garden
You can help! It is very simple – all you need to do is cut a 13cm x 13cm hole in your fence. This will give an easy passage for the hedgehogs and make your garden hedgehog friendly. Speak to your neighbours first and check your property/fencing boundaries in order to prevent any disputes between properties.
To help make your hedgehog highway more visible and spread awareness, we are giving away hedgehog highway signs to put above the openings to the first 65 residents who have taken up a challenge and made their garden hedgehog friendly.
What you need to do
Share with us the photo of your newly created hedgehog highway, by sending it to our connectNE@ne-derbyshire.gov.uk OR contactus@rykneldhomes.org.uk.
You can then collect your sign from the reception at the Council’s Offices 2013 Mill Lane, Wingerworth, Chesterfield S42 6NG. Just show the photo of your new hedgehog highway.
For more advice and tips on how to help hedgehogs, you can visit: www.hedgehogstreet.org or www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk.
