Hedgehog Murals Displayed at Flashes Festival of Nature to Promote Hedgehog Awareness

Welcome! You’ve scanned a QR code from our Hedgehog Murals at Pennington Flash Nature Reserve as part of the Festival of Flashes

British hedgehogs are currently vulnerable to extinction and really need our help. If our 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

 

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

 

Flashes Festival of Nature Mural Images

Contact Us

These are your local hedgehog rescues:

• Lowton Hedgehog Rescue 07950 933410 (Facebook Group)
• Hindley Hedgehog Help (07812 688561) (Facebook Group)

You can join their groups 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.