As nights get longer and temperatures drop, hedgehog sightings may be more common in autumn as the creatures build up crucial fat reserves to survive the winter. These nocturnal creatures are often thought of as a natural gardener’s helper because they feed on common garden pests such as slugs, worms, caterpillars and beetles.
Despite being one of the UK’s most beloved wild animals, the hedgehog is currently in decline and classed as vulnerable to extinction. According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), there are fewer than 900,000 hedgehogs left in Britain — down from an estimated 30 million in the 1950s. Loss of habitat, busy roads, and changes in farming and gardening practices have all played a role in reducing their populations. However, there are ways you can encourage hedgehogs in your garden, especially as they prepare for hibernation.
One of the easiest ways to attract these nocturnal creatures to your garden is to provide food and water, according to experts at the RHS.
In early autumn, hedgehogs are on the hunt for food to sustain them through their long winter hibernation.
Putting out tinned dog or cat food will help, and if you’re worried about cats or foxes stealing it, place the food inside an upturned box with an entrance hole cut out.
Water is also incredibly important for hedgehogs. Experts recommend putting out a shallow bowl of water at ground level in your garden. Hedgehogs get just as thirsty as birds but can’t source water as easily.
However, you should pay special attention to ponds and other deep water sources. While hedgehogs are good swimmers, they can drown if they cannot easily find an escape. Make sure to cover any ponds or fit a wildlife ramp into steep-sided garden ponds so that hedgehogs can clamber to safety if they fall in.
Another way to encourage hedgehogs into your garden is to create a habitat for them.
RHS experts suggest building a pile of logs, twigs, or leaves to create a larder of juicy grubs and beetles, which they love to eat. Hedgehogs also enjoy compost heaps and hedges to shelter underneath.
Hedgehogs roam up to two kilometres each night in search of food, shelter, and mates, but gardens need to be connected to enable safe passage.
By speaking to neighbours, you can create a ‘hedgehog highway.’ This can be done by making CD-sized holes at the base of fences between gardens to allow the mammals to move freely around your neighbourhood.
Lastly, installing a hedgehog house in a sheltered spot in your garden is another great way to encourage these creatures. Designs with a ‘tunnel entrance’ or internal baffle to discourage predators are best.
Brits who spot a hedgehog, whether alive or dead, are encouraged to log their sighting on the UK-wide hedgehog map.
