Dublin City Council is on the lookout for kindhearted volunteers to help out with a hedgehog conservation project.
Helping Hedgehogs in Dublin is launching the 2021 Irish Hedgehog Survey and providing a new leaflet giving information about how to make your garden and community more friendly for the critters.
And DCC is inviting the public to become citizen scientists and participate in this year’s survey.
The project aims to provide information on the types of habitats where hedgehogs live, as well as raise awareness about the presence of the animal in the city.
Speaking about the initiative, Lorraine Bull, Biodiversity Officer with Dublin City Council believes that this online project is suitable for anyone interested in nature and community work.
She said: “We are delighted to be joining this year’s survey, which will engage members of the public in citizen science while helping us to find out valuable information on where hedgehogs can be found across the city.
“The project is suitable for anyone with an interest in local wildlife, conservation groups, and community and youth groups.
“We will be hosting webinars and training sessions next month for those who wish to learn more about the survey and find out how they can get the equipment, which is being provided.
“Given the current restrictions, workshops will be delivered online."
Elaine O’Riordan, Project Officer from the Zoology School of Natural Science at NUI Galway also commented on the initiative.
She said: “We are delighted with the response to the Hedgehog Survey so far and we are hopeful that lots of volunteers will get involved and survey different types of habitats in Dublin’s urban areas.”
Last year’s first ever Irish Hedgehog Survey resulted in over 2,000 sightings being recorded nationwide.
DCC has joined the project in collaboration with researchers in the Zoology Department at NUI Galway, the National Biodiversity Data Centre and other local authorities.
The survey will take place from May to September. Volunteers are being invited to conduct a survey in their local area using footprint tunnels to determine if hedgehogs are present in various habitats.
Volunteers will be provided with training and asked to place 10 footprint tunnels within a 1km2 area for 5 nights and check them each morning for any signs of hedgehogs.
You can download a copy of the Helping Hedgehogs leaflet here.
Copies will also be available from public libraries when restrictions allow.
For details of training sessions, click here.
For the latest news and breaking news visit dublinlive.ie/news.
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @DublinLive - the official Dublin Live Twitter account - real news in real time.
We're also on Facebook/dublinlive - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the capital.
