Hibernating Hedgehogs needing help.

[murphyminx]

Can anyone please help me. I live in North Weald in Essex and over the back to where i live is a beautiful piece of waste land that has been untouched for many years, i think the last time it was actually used was in World War 2. There are a few huge War bunkers and a few other ruins on the site which you can imagine is filled with hibernating Hedgehogs and other animals amongst the huge bushes that have grown there. The sad thing is that they have just started building a new housing estate on the land and day by day i have been watching them destroy everything! they are just about to pull out a huge amount of shrubbery which probably has lots of Hedgehogs hibernaing. Does anyone know if the Hedgehogs can come out of hibernation if they know something is going on and move? or is there any organization that would come and try a remove them? i know that sounds really silly but i really wish i could help them, it's so so sad . Oh yeah and i have also been feeding a wild fox ever night for the past 4 or so years which has now gone .

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi murphyminx, and welcome to WAB

I truly sympathise with your plight and concerns for all the wildlife inhabiting this area.

Hedgehogs can wake from hibernation if disturbed, but in my limited observations of hibernation disturbance, the arousal process isn’t instant, it takes a few hours, and expends a huge amount of energy.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) British Hedgehog Preservation Society BHPS may be able to advise you further, and/or give you contact details of your nearest hedgehog carer who may be able to help.

If you know of any definite hedgehog hibernaculum on this piece of land, scoop up the nest with hedgehog still in-situ, into a cardboard box, and take to your nearest wildlife hospital. If you’re unaware of where the nests are, express your concerns to the site manager, you may find he’ll be sympathetic and conduct a thorough search of each area before demolition, and if they locate any, to pass them onto you.

Our native hedgehogs are becoming increasingly rare in the UK and are listed as a species of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. They also have partial protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and it is illegal to trap them or kill them without a licence.

Wishing you every success with your mission.

[murphyminx]

Hi Hedgehoggy,

Thanks so much for the information and i must say you know so much about Hedgehogs.

I think it's probably to late for me to do anything now, the hedges are so big and dense i probably wouldn't be able to get into them anyway. Lets hope that the Hedgehogs have been disturbed and have got out in time, i really do hope so.

If the Hegdehogs have been disturbed and they have tried to get away how far could they go? are they clever enough to make there way away from the building site?

[murphyminx]

Hi again Hedgehoggy.

I was sitting here racking my brains this morning to work out away i can help these Hedgehogs.

I don't think the site agent would let me get on site because there is so much going on over there and lots of heavy machinery working all the time. I don't think they work weekends so because the huge hedge is just over the back of my garden fence i might try and climb over and have a root around.

Lets hope the workers don't distroy that area today and i might be able to help.

[Hedgehoggy]

I hadn't appreciated the scale of the demolition already being in full swing, so please don't put yourself at any risk as the site area will be hazardous, especially in these current icy conditions - I'm sure the hogs would have moved on by now, and as far away from the disturbance as possible.

Safer ways of helping our humble hedgehog would be to make a few small gaps under your fencing in which a hog can access your garden from the site, and keep a vigilant lookout for any hogs you might see wandering about. Leaving a little food and water near any access holes in your garden would help a hedgehog enormously. Providing a waterproof hog house or even just a pile of dry bedding (hay/straw) next to a pile of 'strategically' placed logs would help them out even further

[kezzer]

Hi,
My hubby actually works in construction, mainly ground work around Essex.
Its amazing the amount of wild life he gets to see.
My reason for posting is that many site agents who are in charge of the sites or foreman are actually great wild life lovers ( I know doesn't sound quite right when they are demolishing the country side, but we all have to survive) perhaps due to the amount of wild life they get to see. I would encourage you to go to the site and ask to speak to who ever is in charge and express your concerns. Chances are he'll send a couple of men in to investigate, as already mentioned.
As an aside, my hubby actually had a robin eat from his hand while working at one particular site, after many times trying to coax the robin every break it finally paid off, so you might find they do care and will investigate before any real damage is done.

Just a thought, good luck.

Ps. I have a hedgehog in my loggery at the moment, second year running, never seems to be bothered by my very large dog barking right next to him.

[galanthophile]

What with all of the house building going on everywhere it's only a matter of time before there will be no land left at all for wildlife.. Good luck with anything you can achieve however small. It is good to know that some people care. I had a hedgehog outside my back door yesterday eating the cat food I put out for my resident cat who lives in my garden. I'm hoping the hedgehog has a home nearby too. I was amazed it is so active after 3 weeks of freezing temperatures.

[murphyminx]

Hi Hedgehoggy, Galanthophile and Kezzer.

Don't worry i won't put myself at any risk, my hubby and neighbour are going to help me have a search tomorrow. I already have a plan and the ladders and boxes are ready .

I am now going to read up on Hedgehogs and maybe make a little safe haven for them at the bottom of my garden for the summer and next winter. I would love to have them live in my garden.

I will let you know how i get on tomorrow.

[murphyminx]

Well i had a search today and found nothing!

I don't know if i am happy or sad about it. I must say it was really over grown and very thorny so i couldn't get right in.

Well lets hope they made a dash for it when they could

[murphyminx]

I did manage to get some logs where they had cut down a tree.

How do i go abut making a loggery for the Hedgehogs and when so they start using them? how would i know if a Hegdehog comes into my garden? is there any tell tale signs?