Too early for hedgehogs?
A new piece of work to find out whether hedgehog numbers are being affected by climate change


It's hoped that a survey starting this month will establish whether warmer and wetter winters are causing hedgehogs to go hungry.
The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society want to find out whether climate change is impacting on hedgehogs emerging from hibernation. ‘Mild, wet winters are bad for mammals that hibernate,' comments PTES hedgehog officer Henry Johnson. ‘Warmer temperatures stimulate them to wake up when there's no food for them and flooding is obviously not great for animals that hibernate underground or in vegetation.
* Subscribe to Country Life and save
The PTES estimates that hedgehog numbers have plummeted from 36 million to just one million in the past 60 years due to habitat loss, a dearth of earthworms, beetles, slugs and caterpillars (due to the efficacy of pesticides), larger field sizes, predation by badgers and sterile suburban gardens. To take part, visit www.hedgehogstreet.org
* Follow Country Life on Twitter
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
-
A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National Park
Old House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West Sussex
Although the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
By Rosie Paterson Published