Helping hand for hedgehogs

Sir, – We were saddened but not surprised to read that hedgehog populations are plummeting (British mammals face extinction, June 13) and they have been added to the Red list as “vulnerable’”.

We have been reporting similar declines in our State of Britain’s Hedgehogs reports published with People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) for some years, most recently January 2018.

However, that report does offer a glimmer of hope in that urban population decline appears to be slowing. This could be attributed to simple actions, taken by gardeners and home owners, across the country having been made aware of the problems hedgehogs are facing through campaigns such as Hedgehog Street, our partnership project with PTES.

Like many of the species in decline, a major problem hedgehogs face is loss of habitat and fragmentation of habitat.

There are pockets of land that are wonderful for hedgehogs but if they don’t join up with other pockets it may be a population there is not sustainable. Connectivity is key.

Hedgehog Street has been asking people to create hedgehog highways across the country, a CD case sized gap at the bottom of boundary walls and fences could join up valuable habitat. You can log your hedgehog highway or sightings at www.bighedgehogmap.org.

For more details about the society, helping hedgehogs and even plans for a hedgehog home please see www. britishhedgehogs.org. uk.

Let’s build on that glimmer of hope and pull hedgehogs back from the brink. Fay Vass. Chief executive, British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Ludlow.