Hedgehog numbers are declining and many are struggling to stay alive in Yorkshire according to charities and rescue centres.
Diane and Andy Cook, who started the Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue in Otley as a lockdown project, say they have seen a large increase in the demand for their services.
Diane Cook said: “We have seen a massive increase in the demand for our services and other rescues are just as busy.
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“We get in hedgehogs that are in a sorry state all the time.”
She went on to say: “I think when you talk to the public people say they’re not seeing as many hedgehogs, especially older people.
“A lot of younger people have never seen a hedgehog alive before in their lives and the numbers we’re getting in are increasing.”
According to the State of Britain’s Hedgehogs Report 2022, estimates for hedgehogs in Yorkshire show a 5% decrease in the population.
While this is significant the decline is much steeper elsewhere with the estimates for all of England showing a 30% decrease.
In 2020, hedgehogs were put on the Red List for British mammals as vulnerable to extinction.
Hedgehogs have seen the steepest decline in rural areas as well with two-thirds to three-quarters of the population being lost nationally in the last two decades, while the population in urban areas may actually be showing an increase.
Andy Cook believes this might be down to people helping them out: “It’s a testament to people that the hedgehog numbers in urban areas are recovering.
“People support feeding and having wildlife friendly gardens as well as hedgehog highways are helping.”
‘Hedgehog Highways’ are small holes the size of a DVD which are cut into fences to allow Hedgehogs to pass through in their search for food and are a useful way to help out hedgehogs in your area.
According to data from the GardenWatch Survey, the northeast has the highest number of hedgehogs in cities, with high numbers detected on the Big Hedgehog Map in York.
Diane Cook said she was not sure if there were more hedgehogs or if they just needed more help.
The small nocturnal animals mostly eat insects and declining numbers of this vital food source could be behind some of their struggles.
Rescuing hedgehogs is expensive work and you can help Prickly Pigs Hedgehog rescue do their work by buying from their shop on their website here.
You can also donate directly using the details on their Facebook site here.
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