The hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is just one of 1,149 species listed under the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) program. The list was recently updated, doubling the number of species from the original 577 named in 1997. BAP-based efforts can be credited with helping some rare species such as the stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), which has benefited from cooperation from farms in areas where the birds breed. Now attention needs to be turned to ways that animals like the hedgehog can be helped in suburban as well as countryside areas. he
Factors in the Decline
Urbanization is one factor in the decline of the species, as was reinforced by the finding of more hedgehogs in the less developed eastern parts of England than in the industrial west.
But even in the east, the shift to crop farming from livestock rearing has had its effect. Heavy use of pesticides, larger open fields rather than smaller hedged pastures and mowing of grain fields all contribute to the loss of habitat.
Closer to home, and the reason the public is being asked to get involved, are private gardens or yards. Hedgehogs like to feed on beetles, caterpillars, slugs and the like. Gardeners eliminate these food sources with pesticides and slug bait. Large areas of lawn do not allow the hedgehogs to travel easily from place to place. Like most wildlife, hedgehogs avoid open areas for fear of predation. A hedgehog nest or hibernaculum will generally be made of leaves gathered in a log or brush pile, something that serious gardeners are also likely to eliminate. Worse yet, burning brush piles during fall and winter, when the tiny mammals are hibernating kills many as well. Trimming and mowing of longer grass and shrubs eliminates habitat and may directly injure an animal during his daylight resting hours.
Ways the Public Can Help
From all of this it is clear that some simple things can be done on private property to help the hedgehog. Just as bird feeders are a common way to supplement diet in areas of human habitation, people are being encouraged to feed the hedgehogs. Not making the mistake of giving them bread and milk but rather providing them with cat or dog food which more closely matches their natural diet.
Where it is possible, leaving a small area of untended land with brush and long grass as a wildlife corridor will create suitable hedgehog habitat. For those loathe to let a portion of their land remain unkempt, providing hedgehog houses to replace the brushpile habitat can make for peaceful coexistence. People are asked to check for hedgehogs before mowing, trimming bushes or burning wood or brushpiles. And to pick up litter as the hedgehogs get their heads stuck in small food containers, lured by the enticing smells.
So often when a species is endangered or threatened there is little that the average person can do to directly help. Luckily for the hedgehog, this is not the case in the UK.
Dawn M. Smith - A vet nurse, Dawn has worked in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation around the world in addition to her veterinary hospital ...
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