Homes for Hedgehogs launches to help halt the dramatic decline of one of the UK’s most charismatic and best-loved species.
Somerset Wildlife Trust has today launched Homes for Hedgehogs, a county-wide campaign designed to raise awareness of and help reverse the decline of one of the UK’s most charismatic and best-loved species — the humble hedgehog. Numbers of hedgehogs have been in decline since the 1950s. Then, there was an estimated 30 million of our prickly friends in the UK. In 2020, this number was at just under 900,000. It is hoped that the Homes for Hedgehogs campaign will see large numbers of people making small changes to their gardens and green spaces to turn the fortunes of this magical little mammal around, before we lose it forever.
People who take part in the three-month campaign will receive a FREE Homes for Hedgehog postal pack (digital download also available) which contains lots of information, advice, and a wall planner for their hedgehog activity. After that, they will receive a number of hog-related emails full of fun facts, interesting insights, hedgehog actions to take, and also details of a new autumn hedgehog-based citizen science project which aims to help us build data on the real state of hedgehogs in Somerset.
Rebecca Walford, Head of Fundraising at Somerset Wildlife Trust, says, “Whose heart doesn’t melt when they see a hedgehog? But there are people in Somerset that will never experience the magic of seeing one of these wonderful creatures snuffling in their garden or green space. These once common animals could well become a fond memory of the past, their decline yet another ‘never mind’ moment in nature, and an animal our grandchildren will never see or experience.
“We’re on a mission to change that, but we need help. We know that people love them and care about them so we’ve got to work collectively to turn their fortunes around. The Homes for Hedgehogs campaign is a way for people to take real and meaningful action simply by making some small changes in their own garden or in their local green space. Small changes add up, so we want as many of those small changes happening all over the county — whether they are made as a family, in your garden, at school, at work, or in your street. And in taking part, people will be able to learn and understand much, much more about these wonderful creatures and why we need to protect them along the way. So please sign up, take part and let’s give hedgehogs a home!”
How to get take part:
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to get on board and help a hog on your patch.
Step 1 – Reserve your FREE Homes for Hedgehog pack by clicking this link:
www.somersetwildlife.org/homes-hedgehogs
Packs will be sent out in the post mid-July and will contain loads of brilliant information, advice, and resources to get you started on some basic hedgehog heroics.
Step 2 – You’ve got mail! From August 1st, we’ll be following up the packs with a series of emails designed to give people more ideas, inspiration from other communities, and hoggy insights to keep them focused on the mission, covering useful topics such as what hedgehogs like to eat, how to build a hedgehog house, and what to do if the hedgehogs in your garden are sick or injured.
Step 3 – Unleash your Inner citizen scientist. We’ll be launching a special citizen science project between September 11th – 18th, when we’ll be asking you to officially record your hedgehog sightings so we can get a more complete picture of the number and distribution of hedgehogs across the county. Then we’ll be able to identify where our hogs most need help!
What are you waiting for? Reserve your FREE pack and be a Homes for Hedgehogs hero today! And whatever you do as a hedgehog hero, the Trust want to hear about it! If you are on social media share your pictures of hedgehogs or the things that you are doing to give them a home using the hashtag #HomesforHedgehogs
