Page 11 - Issue 78 Online

MANEA MATTERS
MANEA MATTERS
REMEMBER, REMEMBER 5 NOVEMBER
TH

umble H
edgehog!
But, more importantly
But, more importantly, remember our Humble Hedgehog!
, remember our H
Four years ago, in the Autumn issue of Manea
Matters, I wrote an article on the decline of our
iconic hedgehog and, with the aid of ‘Spine
Bubbles’, listed things we can do to help stop
this.
I reported that the hedgehog population
had declined from 30 million in the 1950s
to under a million in 2019. The latest
figure is approximately 879,000 in total –
throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
They are on the red list of endangered
species and it’s estimated they have declined
by a third since 2000.

PLEASE HELP TO STOP THIS DECLINE
BY TAKING THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:
• Leave it until the last minute to build a bonfire – preferably moving it beforehand, to
DO A THOROUGH CHECK FOR HEDGEHOGS
• Cut 13cm high ‘arched’ -shaped HOLES IN YOUR GARDEN FENCES to allow the
hedgehogs to wander between gardens, thus avoiding roads and creating Hedgehog
Highways
• Always check BEFORE DOING ANY STRIMMING – a huge killer of hedgehogs
• Only provide fresh water for hedgehogs – NEVER GIVE THEM MILK
• If you find a hedgehog hibernating in your garden – LEAVE IT IN PEACE and don’t disturb
or move it

If you find a sick or injured hedgehog, please contact the following for help:
• Cambs Wildlife Care in Soham 07977 320320 info@cambswildlifecare.org.uk
www.cambswildlifecare.org.uk/ 09:00 – 19:30
• RSPCA at West Winch (hedgehog specialists) 0300 123 0709
www.rspca.org.uk/local/east-winch-wildlife-centre 08:00 – 20:00
• The British Hedgehog Preservation Society 01584 890 801
www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk a charity, which can offer help and advice
It’s estimated that hedgehogs evolved about 15 million years ago.
Please do your part to help stop the 21st century from marking their extinction!
Dianne Rowe

DEADLINE FOR ISSUE 79 (WINTER) – FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2023 PAGE 11
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