As we get closer to the cosy seasons, it’s not just us Brits wanting to stay warm and cosy as hedgehogs will be preparing for their hibernation. Hedgehogs begin their hibernation period in October or November and it lasts until March or April. To help you provide a hedgehog haven in your garden this autumn and winter, Faith in Nature has shared five ways you can lend hedgehogs a helping hand.
Although a report from the beginning of 2024 noted garden sightings of hedgehogs had increased by two percentage points, their population has massively decreased since the millennium, with a decline of 30% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas, explains Faith in Nature. @cat_the_vet How To Be A Hedgehog Hero! #hedgehog #savethehedgehog #hedgehogsoftiktok ♬ Fly Away - Tones And I How to create a hedgehog haven in your garden this autumn Create ‘hedgehog highways’ Gardens can be a rich habitat for hedgehogs and they help keep them away from the dangers of busy roads. However, the small creatures can roam around a mile every night so one enclosed garden isn’t enough for them.
‘Hedgehog highways’ are a way of connecting multiple gardens, giving hedgehogs more safe space to roam. You’ll need to cut a 13 x 13 cm hole in a garden fence, or you can follow these other tips for making hedgehog highways from Hedgehog Street. Faith in Nature is urging homeowners with gardens to encourage their neighbours and others in their community to do the same, adding that the more hedgehog high.