Wildlife experts in Sidlesham are urging residents in the South to lend a helping hand to hedgehogs and other animals as the colder months approach.
Staff at Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital say they’ve already seen a noticeable rise in the number of injured and underweight hedgehogs arriving for treatment. This trend tends to worsen as winter approaches.
The charity, which rescues and rehabilitates hundreds of wild animals each year, says many of the hedgehogs brought in are suffering from injuries caused by garden tools, road traffic, or the use of pesticides and slug pellets. Others are simply too small to survive hibernation and need specialist care before being released back into the wild.
To help prevent further harm, Brent Lodge is encouraging homeowners to make their gardens a little more hedgehog-friendly. Small gaps at the base of fences — known as “hedgehog highways” — allow the creatures to move freely between gardens in search of food, mates, and shelter. Without these access points, many hedgehogs become trapped in isolated spaces and struggle to find enough to eat.
The hospital is also asking people to avoid using chemical pest controls. Pesticides and slug pellets can poison hedgehogs directly or reduce the number of insects and invertebrates they rely on for food. Instead, experts suggest using natural alternatives such as beer traps or encouraging natural predators like frogs and birds to keep slug numbers down.
Other small actions can make a big difference too. Leaving out shallow dishes of water, checking piles of leaves before lighting bonfires, and providing hedgehog houses or compost heaps for shelter all help the species to thrive.
You can find out more about Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital, including wildlife advice and ways you can keep our garden visitors safe here Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital | Sidlesham
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