Hedgehog Murals Displayed at Risley Moss Nature Reserve to Highlight Hedgehog Awareness Week (May 3rd – 9th)

Welcome! If you’ve scanned a QR code from our Hedgehog Murals at Risley Moss Nature Reserve, Birchwood, Warrington. May 3rd to 9th is Hedgehog Awareness Week and British hedgehogs are currently vulnerable to extinction and really need our help. If our street art has inspired you to take action, read on for a list of expert tips to help look after the beloved critters.

Hedgehog Friendly Gardens

• Create a Hedgehog Highway: Cut a 13cm x 13cm hole at the bottom of your fences to allow hedgehogs to forage and move between gardens. More info on Hedgehog Street
• Install Pond Ramps: Use a plank of wood wrapped in chicken wire or a pile of stones to create a ramp to climb out of a pond. More info on SeagoMac Wildlife
• Keep Drains Covered: Cover up all drains and gullies so hedgehogs don’t fall in and become trapped. More info on Grace the Hedgehog
• Provide a Hedgehog House: Make or buy a hedgehog house so they can hibernate during the winter and nest during summer. Hedgehog houses are best made out of wood (Little Silver Hedgehog).

Feeding Hedgehogs

• Provide Fresh Water: Leave out a shallow dish of water.
• Provide Food: Leave out cat food or specific hedgehog biscuits. Avoid mealworms, as they can cause Metabolic Bone Disease. More info on Hedgehog Street
• Maintain Hygiene: Clean feeding dishes daily to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases. More info on RSPCA

Hedgehog-Conscious Gardening

• Stop Using Chemicals: Stop using slug pellets, pesticides, and herbicides, which poison hedgehogs and kill their food source.  Use natural pesticides or, even better, let the Hedgehogs do the job for you.  More info on Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust
• Leave a “Wild Corner”: Allow an area to grow long grass and brambles to attract natural food sources like beetles and caterpillars. More info on Hedgehog Street
• Create Log & Leaf Pile: Pile up logs and dead wood, fallen leaves to provide nesting materials. More info on Little Silver Hedgehog
• Check Before Strimming: Check long grass or overgrown corners before cutting the lawn in case a hedgehog is nesting there, and avoid fatal injuries.
• Lift Netting: Keep garden netting and football netting at least 30cm off the ground to prevent hedgehogs from becoming tangled.

Remove Hedgehog Hazards

• Check Bonfires: Thoroughly check bonfires on the day you light them or move the pile to a new spot to ensure hedgehogs are not nesting inside. More info on Avon Wildlife Trust
• Road Awareness: At night, slow down on residential and country roads to keep an eye out for Hedgehogs crossing. More info on Goring Parish Council Guidance
• Safe Litter Disposal: Cut plastic multi-pack rings and ensure cans and yoghurt pots are crushed before recycling. More info on BHPS

Get More Involved

• Map Your Sightings: Record your hedgehog sightings on the Big Hedgehog Map to help researchers. More info on Hedgehog Street
• Become a Champion: Sign up to receive resources to educate your neighbours and promote hedgehog-friendly fencing. More info on PTES

About ‘Hedgehog Awareness Week’

Hedgehog Awareness Week (May 3rd-9th) has evolved into a vital conservation event focused on protecting Britain’s native hedgehog, which is currently in decline. The week is used to encourage “hedgehog-friendly” gardening, such as creating “Hedgehog Highways” (small holes in fences) and leaving out shallow dishes of water and meaty cat food.

Hedgehog Survival Facts

The following facts and figures highlight the severity of their decline:

• Vulnerable to Extinction: In 2020, the hedgehog was officially added to the IUCN Red List, marking a critical turning point for the species.
• 97% Population Drop: UK numbers have plummeted from an estimated 30 million in the 1950s to just 1 million today. State of Britain’s Hedgehogs (British Hedgehog Preservation Society / PTES)
• Road Mortality: Between 167,000 and 335,000 hedgehogs are killed on British roads annually, making garden safety and connectivity even more essential. Hedgehog Street

Risley Moss Mural Images

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Contact Us

These are your local hedgehog rescues:

• Birchwood Hedgehog Rescue 07798 748326 (Facebook Group)
• Lowton Hedgehog Rescue 07950 933410 (Facebook Group)

Both rescues have Facebook Groups that you can join and find out more details about their rescue work by clicking the links above)

Please remember that ‘A Hog Out in the Day is not OK’. Hedgehogs are nocturnal only therefore to see one in daylight means it is likely to be poorly or injured and requires urgent attention from a rescue or vet.