
These days more and more British hedgehogs need rescuing. Their sharp spines are no defense against the habitat loss and fragmentation that’s primarily driving the species’ significant decline across the UK. Cars are another frequent killer of the little beasties. Scientists estimate that Britain has lost about a third of its hedgehogs since 2000. In the last few years, however, there’s been increased public awareness of their plight — and an upwelling of support. In urban areas, hedgehogs love to travel between gardens, where there is both food and places to hide. But with most gardens surrounded by fences and walls, hedgehogs can’t gain access to those critical refuges. Give them an opening, however, and hedgehogs will squeeze their way in. So a major prong of the conservation strategy is to cut tiny holes in garden fences, which allows hedgehogs to come and go as they please. Connecting urban gardens this way creates what are known as hedgehog “highways” — and they’ve been spreading across British towns and cities. There are an estimated 120,000 such highways connecting about 240,000 gardens across the UK.
More: