Photo: Alan Baldry
In Neighbourhood Watch we tend to think about people and property, but our Neighbourhood includes much more than this. Wild animals are our neighbours too and they need our help!
We all recognise a hedgehog but did you know that they are declining in numbers faster than the tiger worldwide?
If you want to find out how to make a difference take a look at the superb Hedgehog Street web site which is full of advice and ideas to help our hedgehogs.
Create Links between Gardens
Hedgehogs travel around one mile every night through our parks and gardens in their quest to find enough food and a mate. If you have an enclosed garden you might be getting in the way of their plans.
We now know that one of the main reasons why hedgehogs are declining in Britain is because our fences and walls are becoming more and more secure, reducing the amount of land available to them.
Picture: Pam Lovesay
Feeding Hedgehogs
Put out food for hedgehogs in the garden and they will eat it.
The hedgehog’s natural diet mainly consists of slugs, ground beetles, caterpillars and worms. During cold or dry periods, these creepy-crawlies become much scarcer in gardens, so hedgehogs will benefit hugely from a shallow dish of water and supplementary feeding.
Picture: Grahame Ritchie
Hedgehog Homes
The best way to provide a nesting option for hedgehogs is by creating a natural feature, such as a compost heap or log pile, as this has the added benefit of encouraging insect prey too. Artificial hedgehog houses (or hibernacula) are also used by hedgehogs and can be really fun to make.
Picture: Jo Edwards