Hedgehogs return to UK gardens after years of population decline: 'It's wonderful to witness'
One adorable spiny mammal is making a comeback in the UK after decades of population decline. A BBC Gardeners' World Magazine poll revealed that 33% of readers reported seeing hedgehogs in their garden in 2023, a slight increase from 31% in 2022, as the BBC reported.
"The recent surge in hedgehog sightings is a positive indication that we're making progress in coexisting with nature," the magazine's editor, Kevin Smith, told the BBC.
Of the 2,000 people who participated in the survey, 21% of respondents either saw hedgehogs in their yards for the first time or spotted them more frequently than the year before.
Surprisingly, the most significant increase in hedgehog sightings in 2023 was in urban areas, where 18% of readers noticed hedgehogs in their gardens, up from 15.3% of readers in 2022, according to the Guardian.
Even small gains are encouraging news for the beloved spiky creature, as hedgehog populations have experienced a dramatic decline in the UK's countryside since 2000, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
As the National Biodiversity Network Trust reported, hedgehog numbers have fallen 30-75% in the last couple of decades, with the greatest declines observed in eastern England.
As the BBC explained, a staggering 36 million hedgehogs wandered the UK's countryside about 60 years ago. Now, it's estimated there are only about 1 million left.
However, there have been monumental efforts in the UK to raise public awareness about how to increase hedgehogs' chances of survival. For example, as the Guardian reported, cities have had campaigns to leave logs, long grass, and plants in gardens as food and habitat for the animals.
The Guardian said that 77% of Gardeners' World respondents reported making their gardens more hedgehog-friendly in 2023. They did this by leaving their yards messier for the animals, checking for wildlife before cutting the grass, and abstaining from using slug pellets that can poison hedgehogs.
One village in the UK even created a "hedgehog highway" by making holes in fences and stone walls, miniature ramps, and stairs so hedgehogs could roam freely.
Since hedgehogs eat primarily insects, they can help eliminate unwanted garden pests, making them a vital part of the ecosystem.
"It's wonderful to witness an increase in sightings. Our ongoing efforts to educate people about wildlife-friendly gardening, such as creating openings in fences and providing secluded spaces for nesting and hibernation, are helping turn our gardens into the havens that hedgehogs have long enjoyed," Smith told the Guardian.
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