Lower Sunbury Hedgehog project update
Earlier in summer we launched an initiative called The Lower Sunbury Hedgehogs Project aimed at helping to increase the hedgehog population of our area, which, as everywhere in the UK, has declined alarmingly over recent decades. They are certainly still around in Lower Sunbury, but we see them a lot less than we used to.
The primary aim was to encourage residents to improve access for hedgehogs between domestic gardens by making a 13cm diameter hole in the bottom of fences, hedges and walls where possible, to create ‘Hedgehog Highways’. Hedgehogs forage over a distance of 1-2 km a night, so being able to move between gardens broadens their range and gives them access to a variety of habitats for different food sources.
Foraging over a wider area also helps them encounter other hedgehogs and improves their breeding prospects, which is important to keep the population growing. There are also ways that residents can help by making their gardens as hedgehog-friendly as possible, so there are places to shelter during the day and hibernate during the winter.
To date a good number of people have become regular users of the Lower Sunbury Hedgehog Project Facebook page, and there have been quite a number of reported hedgehog sightings via the page, with one or two videos being shared. It’s a gradual process, so we’re keen to get as many residents taking an interest as possible.
There are lots of resources on the Facebook page, some of which are also in the dedicated page devoted to the project on the LOSRA web site. These give advice on how best to give them access between gardens, providing improved habitats and feeding opportunities, and lots of other information and guidance – for instance don’t put milk out for hedgehogs – they are lactose intolerant!
It’s a great project for youngsters to get involved in during the summer – anything we can do to get more hedgehogs active and visible in the area in the months before they go into hibernation in the autumn will be a positive initiative.
