Hedgehogs
The hedgehog is a priority species in the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape Nature Recovery Plan.
In the past decade over a half of rural hedgehogs and a third from towns and cities have been lost. Areas in and around towns and villages can be excellent habitats for hedgehogs, and hedgehogs often prefer them over farmland.
This decline has been brought by fragmented landscapes of houses, roads, walls, fences and farming which has meant less connectivity and corridors for wildlife.
It’s important gardens and countryside are linked to provide enough habitat
for them to feed, nest and hibernate.
You can help hedgehogs by gardening in hedgehog friendly ways, including the following advice
- Create wild areas with leaf and log piles for shelter and finding food
- Remove any netting to avoid tangles and make your pond safe with a ramp
- Put out water and cat or dog food to supplement their natural diet
- Avoid using chemicals that reduce the hedgehogs' creepy crawly prey
- Check for hedgehogs before having a bonfire or cutting long grass
- Make a DIY home for hedgehogs to give them somewhere to nest and hibernate
In order to help hedgehogs the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape Team have given away both the following hedgehog homes and hedgehog highway signs to suitable locations:
