Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus

Hedgehogs are easy to identify, as they are the only spiny British mammals. A fully-grown adult may have as many as 5000 spines. They have small ears, quite long legs, and short tail; all are covered with dense, sharp, brown spines. When they are alarmed, they roll themselves up into a tight ball so that their head and soft underside are protected by a layer of spines. Hedgehogs are found in nearly all lowland habitats, but are most abundant where there is grassland close to woodland, scrub or hedgerow. Urban and suburban gardens are particularly important for food and nesting.

Hedgehogs normally come out at night; they often travel large distances and stop to feed at various places along the way. Hedgehogs are very useful to have in the garden as they eat many common garden pests such as caterpillars, beetles and slugs. They also eat earthworms, young mice and voles and take eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds. Hedgehogs hibernate for five to six months during the winter in nests built from leaves and grass under hedgerows, in old rabbit burrows and underneath compost heaps.

Current Status

Hedgehogs can be found throughout Britain. The population of Hedgehogs is thought to be about 1,555,000. Hedgehogs are quite common in Hull. They are seen quite regularly along hedges and dykes throughout the City. Wawne Drain and Old Main Drain are particularly good sites.

Current Factors Affecting Hedgehogs

• Large numbers of Hedgehogs are killed on roads and this may be a major threat to certain populations.

• Mowing machines and pesticides probably kill many Hedgehogs but there are no data to confirm this.

• Hedgehogs may be burnt to death by nesting or hibernating in garden bonfire heaps.

• Despite the ability to swim many Hedgehogs drown in garden ponds because they are unable to climb out.

• Hedgehogs were historically killed by humans because they eat the eggs of game birds but the damage they do is relatively small compared to that done by Foxes and Crows.

Current Action 

Legal Status

Hedgehogs are partly protected under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). It is illegal to trap or kill them without a licence.

Management, Research and Guidance

There is currently no research or management under way in Hull for Hedgehogs.

Action Plan Aims

1. To determine the distribution of Hedgehogs in Hull.
   
2. To encourage people to provide Hedgehog-friendly environments in their gardens and allotments.
   
3. To ensure Hedgehog-friendly management of parks, grasslands, woodlands and other habitats throughout Hull.
   
4. To provide advice on how to manage habitats for Hedgehogs.

What We Are Going to Do

What We Can All Do

If you have a steep-sided pond make sure there is a place where hedgehogs and other creatures can crawl out.Avoid the use of slug pellets and other chemicals as they can poison hedgehogs and other animals that eat slugs and snails.

Always check for the presence of Hedgehogs before lighting a bonfire, particularly in winter months when they may be hibernating.

Let the Biodiversity Partnership know if you have Hedgehogs in your garden.
 

Links With Other Action Plans

Management of Trees, Scrub and Hedgerows, Parks, Golf Courses and Cemeteries and Gardens and Allotments will be important for Hedgehogs.

References

Corbet, G.B., Harris, S. (1991) The Handbook of British Mammals. (3rd edition) Blackwell, Oxford.

Harris, S. (1995) A Review of British Mammals: Population Estimates and Conservation Status of British Mammals other than Cetaceans. JNCC, Peterborough.

The Mammal Society. Mammal Fact Sheets: The Hedgehog. (Retrieved November 2001 from http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/hedgehog.htm)