Hi Jo 569
I am pleased to hear you have lots of hedgehogs back.
Please will you consider not marking them and identifying them from their natural markings. From the look of your id photo, your camera takes quite good pictures, and you may even be able to identify them, naturally, from those. It is easier if you are watching in real time. Try to do some sketches of the different markings – face, skirt, spines. Test yourself, see if you can tell them apart – as you have already marked some, you will be able to check whether you are getting it right and if you are, no need to mark again. It can be fun!
It can be very rewarding getting to know the real hedgehog, as opposed to the blob or whatever other mark you have been using. Last night one of my older female hog visitors returned from hibernation and as soon as I saw her I knew who she was – I was so delighted to see her again! Like seeing an old friend – no blobs or other artificial markings required – just a wild hog looking as she should.
Hedgehogs sometimes travel quite long distances, some 1- 2 miles a night – so they may not be living nearby. That is what makes the linking of gardens so important. Apart from anything else it means they don’t have to rely on human highways to get to where they want to go.
Good luck with your little band of visitors.
