I hear there’s a hedgehog census under way next week. Why are we counting hedgehogs?
The public is being asked to join in a hedgehog count to help conservationists assess the animal’s population size and spread in Ireland.
I’ve never seen a hedgehog stand up to be counted – how exactly are we supposed to find them?
It will take a bit of sharp-eyed observation but if you keep a lookout in gardens, parks, farms, estates, campuses and public green spaces, you might spot one.
In terms of timing, dusk or later is the best time to see hedgehogs as they are almost entirely nocturnal.
In daytime, you’re most likely to find dead hedgehogs – mainly as roadkill – and the count organisers want to know about them too.
RM Block
Is there a concern that hedgehog numbers are getting out of hand?
Quite the opposite – there’s a real fear that populations are dwindling so an organisation called Hedgehog Conservation Ireland has been set up to try to work out where they are most in trouble and what might be done to help.
What’s causing the decline?
Loss of habitat is a big issue as agricultural fields expand and hedgerows disappear.
Gardens are getting smaller and more sanitised, with potted plants, paving slabs, walls and sealed fences replacing grass, hedges and leafy shrubs that allow hedgehogs to forage, hide and move easily over long distances.
Public greens can also often be too “tidy” to allow anywhere for a hedgehog to live safely.
[ Backyard battle to save hedgehogs is critical as numbers declineOpens in new window ]
Hedgehogs often get bitten by dogs and maimed by strimmers when gardeners are tidying up grass verges.
Not to sound mean, but don’t hedgehogs give you a nasty prick if handled, and don’t they carry their body’s weight worth of fleas?
Not to sound preachy, but you shouldn’t be handling them. And yes, while bugs do treat them as a form of public transport, hedgehogs are great at keeping other pests under control. Slug elimination is a particular skill.
Okay, I’m sold. How can I help?
An online form has been set up so anyone who spots a hedgehog, dead or alive, can log it and easily pinpoint the location on the interactive map.
The form asks for a few basic details about the circumstances of the find but nothing complicated. Details, and the form, are available at irishhedgehogsurvey.com
Is this an all-island initiative?
It is indeed. Hedgehog sightings can be recorded for 32 counties. As it happens, however, conservation charity Ulster Wildlife, which is based in Northern Ireland, is behind a new GPS tracking scheme, attaching tracker devices to a small number of animals, to help understand hedgehogs’ nocturnal activities and the range of their travels.
