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During the summer months, it's a good time to look out for hedgehogs. The extract from June's Wild Wild Life newsletter explains what we know about this animal and what we can do to help it. You can get the free New Scientist wildlife newsletter by signing up here.
There are 17 different types of hedgehogs in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. The only species in the UK that can be found across Europe is the West European hedgehog. It was introduced to New Zealand by English settlers in the 19th century.
Depending on where in the world you live, and your knowledge of children's books by Beatrix Potter, you may be familiar with the African pygmy hedgehog. You can tell it's a different animal than the West European one by its fur.
In the UK, the West European hedgehog is not as common as it is in mainland Europe. It is thought that the number of hedgehogs in rural areas has declined by between 30 and 75 per cent since 2000.
There are a lot of possibilities. It is clear that roads and modern farming methods contribute to the destruction of hedgehog habitats.
In urban areas, about a fifth of Great Britain's hedgehogs are thought to survive. Despite the high incidence of road deaths in towns and cities, there has been a decline in the number of urban hedgehogs.
Green spaces in urban areas are important. In areas with gardens, parks, allotments and terraced housing, and less likely to be found in places with a high density of humans, a study of London published in 2021. The study found that a large part of Greater London is a good place to live. Around 30 to 40 people live in Regent's Park, which is towards the center of the city.
The study found that gardens in Braunschweig, Germany, are important for connecting habitats because hedgehogs can travel up to three kilometres per night.
Make sure you have gaps in your fence if you have a garden. You might be able to make it easy for the hibachis. If you have a compost heap, you can provide a place for the hedgehogs to stay.
It is a good idea to dig a pond, but make sure there is a sloped side or a carefully placed log so that any hedgehog that falls in can get out again.
If you want to make sure you don't hurt any hedgehogs, you should avoid using a robotic lawnmower and trimming long grass and under hedges.
There is a ban on the outdoor use of met slugaldehyde in the UK, so if you have any left, don't use them. It is a good idea to not use garden chemicals and pesticides for the sake of the environment.
During the summer when nights are short and the weather is raining, the study found that hedgehogs spend more time in gardens than in the winter. People put out food for the hibachis in the garden.
Insturments make up the majority of the diet of the Hedgehog. It is worth knowing that not all commercially available hedgehog feeds are suitable and you may be better off offering wet, meat-based dog or cat foods.
It's a good idea to have a pond in your garden for the sake of the hibachis. You can give them a clean dish of water in the evening if that isn't possible.
It's not a good idea to put out bread and milk because it's too low in energy and it's bad for the animals.
It's possible that a hedgehog is unwell if you see it outside. If it is active and moving quickly away, it is probably okay, but if it is lying still, staggering around or has flies around it, it may need admitting to a rescue centre. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society can be contacted in the UK.
Over half of the hedgehogs admitted to the centre are still alive 80 days later.
If you want to keep a wild animal as a pet, you should not. The African Pygmy Hedgehog is not a good pet. The species is hard to care for because of its nature.
There are more on this topic.