Families across the UK are being urged to take action if they see a hedgehog in their garden – especially during the daytime.
Despite being one of the UK’s most beloved native animals, hedgehogs are under serious threat, having seen their populations fall from 30 million in the 1950s to less than an estimated one million left in the country today and are now on The Mammal Society’s Red List as critically endangered.
That’s why families who spot a hedgehog in their garden are being urged to take action to help them.
First, if you see a hedgehog during the day, it could be a bad sign. Though during the summer hedgehogs do sometimes come out during the day when the nights are short, it can be a sign that’s something is wrong. According to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, hedgehogs ‘shouldn’t really be seen in daylight hours’ and if it’s showing signs of suffering, you should take action.
The BHPS says: “If you see a hedgehog out in the day, it may be unwell and in need of urgent first aid advice.
“Hedgehogs are nocturnal, which means they shouldn’t really be seen out in daylight hours.
“Some of the exceptions to this are pregnant females gathering nesting materials just before she gives birth, or a new mum taking a break from the nest to get food and water while her young sleep.
“Sometimes, when the nights are short, a hungry hedgehog may forage around dusk and dawn. However, these hedgehogs would move quickly with purpose. If a hedgehog is lethargic, lying out, has flies around it, is wobbly, or gives you any other cause for concern, please see first aid advice.”
It adds the steps you should then take: “If you have found a hedgehog you are concerned about please use gardening gloves or a folded towel to collect it up, bring it indoors and put it in a high-sided box with an old towel or fleece in the bottom for the hedgehog to hide under.
“Fill a hot water bottle so that when it is wrapped in a towel there is a nice gentle heat coming through and put that in the bottom of the box with the hedgehog, ensuring it has room to get off the bottle should it get too warm.
“Make sure the bottle is always kept warm (if allowed to go cold it will chill the hedgehog and do more harm than good). During particularly hot weather providing heat may not be necessary. Put the box somewhere quiet.
“Offer meaty cat or dog food and fresh water then call us as soon as possible on 01584 890 801 for further advice and the numbers of local independent rehabilitators.”
Otherwise, if you see hedgehogs coming into your garden at night, don’t disturb them, but you may want to offer food and water in future.
The BHPS adds: “The best way to ensure wild hedgehogs are well-fed is to create organic wild spaces, leafy corners and log piles where they can forage for natural foods, like grubs and insects.
“To supplement their diet in the wild, you can offer hedgehogs a good quality meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or dry biscuits for cats.
“To reduce confrontations between hungry hedgehogs, try setting up multiple feeding stations in different locations around the garden, or scattering small amounts of food in grass or undergrowth so hedgehogs can forage as they would naturally.”