Hedgehogs are sadly declining in their population across the UK, and the green fingered among us want to do anything we can to make our gardens more appropriate habitats for everyone’s favourite prickly friends.
Wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society recently published a report stating their populations have plummeted by between 30 and 75 per cent since 2000, so it’s important we do all all we can to make sure they’re well looked after for years to come.
After all, hedgehogs are renowned for being a gardener’s best friend. They eat beetles, caterpillars, worms, slugs, snails and various other invertebrates—basically, they’re the worst nightmare for the biggest pests to our gardens.
But what can be done to attract hedgehogs? Daily Express has everything you need to know.
Basically, you have to make it as attractive as possible. This means leaving areas of your garden wild which can be done with a pile of leaves, some logs and perhaps a bit of compost.
This would make it not only an attractive nest for the animal to live in, but also for the invertebrates they love to eat.
You can also create an artificial home, which the RSPCA says can be as “simple” as placing a piece of board up against a wall, or you could also cut a few corners and buy a purpose-built hedgehog house.
Gardeners with a love for DIY can also make an alteration to their fences to make it that much easier to welcome hedgehogs inside.
These are called ‘hedgehog highways’ which involves cutting a hole in your fence, removing bricks from walls or digging tunnels under the garden boundary to give them easy access.
Hedgehogs are renowned for doing most of their daily travelling at night time, where they typically travel around a mile.
They could then use those gaps you make in the surrounds of your garden to get in and out, escape predators, find a nice and secure place to hibernate and more.
The RSPCA say the hole only needs to be as small as 13x13cm – but remember to check with your neighbour first.