Hedgehog Awareness Week Day 4: Hedgehog facts

8th May 2019

There are three main habitat requirements to consider when managing green space for hedgehogs:
► A range of nesting opportunities
► High quality feeding areas
► Ensuring varied habitats are well-connected

Hedgehogs nest year-round and produce different types of nest for day-time resting, breeding and hibernation. Day-time nests are a retreat during the active season, and are often temporary, flimsy and found in areas of rough grassland, loose leaf piles or garden vegetation. More extensive nest can be located in areas of scrub, under log piles or in hedgerows.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, so despite their charismatic spiny appearance they are often difficult to find. Timings of many hedgehog behaviours are dependent on temperature, gender and the body condition of the individual hedgehog. Actions at particular times of year will, however, help reduce hazards and help hedgehogs thrive.

A year for the hedgehog:

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Top Tips:

► Be careful not to do lots of scrub clearance when hedgehogs will be hibernating
► Build bonfires on the day of burning
► Avoid disturbing nests, especially during the summer when mother’s could be nursing hoglets. Disturbance can cause a mother to abandon or even eat her young
► put water and supplementary food out in the spring, to help newly emerging hedgehogs put on weight
► always check long grass and shrubs before mowing or strimming as hedgehogs don’t run away from loud noise