Don’t feed hedgehogs – or they won’t hibernate

AS THE weather becomes increasingly autumnal, many of us start putting out food for the wildlife in the garden.

But families have been advised to think twice before feeding hedgehogs through the winter, because it could be disrupting their hibernation.

Hedgehogs, which should start to hibernate from next month, are for the first time being observed waiting until January to start their four-month winter sleep. Dr Dawn Scott, of the University of Brighton, says the cause may be our well-meaning habit of leaving them food.

The constant supply of nourishment stops them realising it is hibernation time, putting them at risk of dying in the colder temperatures or being eaten by predators at a time when food is scarce. Hedgehogs are already in decline, their numbers having fallen by a quarter in the decade to 2011.

Dr Scott, a conservationist who has appeared on BBC’s Springwatch programme, told an audience at the British Science Festival: ‘Last year there were hedgehogs active up until January, which may have been caused by the mild winter but also could have been due to increases in resources. Normally they hibernate in October or November, so it may have been affected by the length of food availability.’

If a hedgehog is underweight, below 600g, then it is sensible to keep feeding it, to help it through the winter by building up its body fat to survive the long hibernation period.

But homeowners should cut back on feeding if the animal is not underweight.