Do you want to be Suffolk Wildlife Trust's hedgehog project intern?

Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is searching for someone with a passion for conservation to support the county’s first ever hedgehog officer in a pioneering campaign.

Last year, the Trust announced they intended to make Ipswich the most hedgehog-friendly town in the UK as part of a two-year project funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The project, which includes working with the community to create ‘Hedgehog Highways’ to link up networks of gardens to parks, allotments, churchyards and schoolgrounds, also involves carrying out population surveys that could help shape national conservation efforts.

Ali North, the Trust’s hedgehog officer, recruited after an advert for the role attracted international attention, said the new intern would be able to gain valuable experience in better understanding hedgehog populations.

She added: “This is the perfect chance for someone with a keen interest in wildlife or who wants to take their first steps into a career in conservation. Not only will they be helping to spread awareness about how to garden for wildlife and hedgehogs but also they learn how to detect hedgehogs using a range of techniques”.

The beginning of the internship will involve sourcing field sites for inclusion in further fieldwork, through undertaking garden visits alongside the Ms North to check for hedgehog suitability (5 April – 17 April).

Night hedgehog surveys will take place between (11pm-4am, between 17 April and 30 April) and further hedgehog surveys and garden visits for camera trap deployment and retrieval will take place between 1 May and 31 May, with the opportunity to assist in camera trap footage analysis.

The Trust is asking for a commitment of 15 hours per week for a two-month period. The internship will begin on Wednesday 5 April, and finish on 31 May 2017, with the possibility of extension.

Interested? Please send your CV and covering letter to Ali North, Ipswich Hedgehog Officer ali.north@suffolkwildlifetrust.org, detailing your availability, experience and why you would like to join the project.

All applications must be received by Thursday 30 March 2017.