Day 1 - make a hedgehog hole! 

Hedgehogs may be small but they can certainly move. In an urban environment they can travel around 2km in a night, and in a rural area around 3km. This can however vary a lot - recent research by Nottingham Trent University found that one particular hedgehog travelled 6km in just 7 hours! 

Below you can see the results of our field work last year - the movement of hedgehogs across our study area in Ipswich. This demonstrates the distances hedgehogs are travelling and just how many gardens they require access to every night! We need whole networks of accessible gardens for hedgehogs, so why not create a nice hedgehog-sized fence hole in your garden this Hedgehog Week? 

Whether you dig under your fence, use a drill and handsaw, bend some wire back, heighten the gap under your gate or ask a fencing contractor to help - there are all sorts of ways you can ensure hedgehog access. Why not mark the purpose of the hole with a Hedgehog Highway plaque, or design an elaborate entrance like our Hedgehog Officers 'Hogs Welcome' sign? These help mark the purpose of the hole so that they don't get accidently blocked, and may encourage your neighbours to get involved too. You can join us at Spring Wood Day to get crafty creating your own hole decoration tomorrow between 11-4pm. Enter your design into our Hedgehog Week competition by coming along tomorrow, or sending a photo of your entry by Saturday 11th May - email to hedgehogs@suffolkwildlifetrust.org! More information about joining us here.