There are many ways that you can help Hedgehogs.
But in this blog post, we are going to look at how you can help Hedgehogs by creating a Hedgehog Highway - a fun way to help Hedgehogs!
What Are Hedgehog Highways?
One of the best ways to help Hedgehogs, is by providing these animals with a Hedgehog Highway. But, what is a Hedgehog Highway?
A Hedgehog Highway opens up your garden so that Hedgehogs can move freely from one garden to another garden. Hedgehog Highways are a small hole in the bottom of your fence which is big enough for a Hedgehog to pass through it, from one garden to another garden.
These holes at the bottom of your fence help one of our favorite wild animals that visit our gardens, they also are a cute dimension to your garden - as you can buy your own Hedgehog Highway sign.
Why Are Hedgehog Highways Important?
Hedgehog Highways are important, because they help Hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs are in serious decline across the UK. One of the reasons that Hedgehogs are in decline is because they lack easy access to gardens due to gardens being sealed off with no way for Hedgehogs, or other wild animals, to enter into. Having access to gardens allows wild animals to find both food and shelter. Therefore, gardens act as mini-habitats for our wildlife, and they can be made into a wildlife haven for wild animals.
Hedgehog Highways can also help other wild animals come backwards and forwards through gardens. Other wild animals that can benefit Hedgehog Highways are: birds, mice and small birds.
The Hedgehog Population Today
The Hedgehog population has declined dramatically to what the Hedgehog population was in the 1950s. In the 1950s throughout the UK, there were 30 million Hedgehogs. Today, the Hedgehog population has greatly diminished since then. In the last 20 years alone, the UK has lost a massive 66% of our Hedgehog population. And, the Hedgehog population has declined by half since 2000. Hedgehogs are declining at a rapid rate in the UK. If the decline in Hedgehogs continues, Hedgehogs could become extinct in just ten years time. And they are not the only ones. It's estimated that one in five British mammals will become extinct within ten years.
But There Is Still Hope
There is still time for us to do something to save Hedgehogs from extinction. Instead of waiting until their numbers are really low - a situation which will be more difficult to overturn - we can start now to help Hedgehogs.
We can help Hedgehogs by providing them with food, water and shelter. We can create our gardens to be mini-habitats and wildlife friendly. If we do this, then we will make a difference for other animals, and for Hedgehogs. By creating a Hedgehog Highway in your garden, you can help the Hedgehog population and stop their extinction.