Do you think we can make it to 400,000 before the end of the year? We are getting so close - and it would be rather a fine to enter 2019 - with such a large body of support behind such a simple ask ... if you have any friends out there who you have not prodded, give them a prod now!
So do any of you have google alerts set up on your computer? This is where you get a notification when your chosen subject appears on the google-radar ... for me the main one is ... can you guess? Though I also have my name, just in case I have done something worthy of recognition ('hedgehog' brings in VAST amounts of traffic - me rather less so!)
Google alerts often brings me stuff about which I am not interested and I know that I could set it up to remove Sonic ... but I am also fascinated by the fascination people have for this unlikely computer game/film ... you know it was supposed to be a rabbit! I interviewed one of the team who produced the early version - you see, rabbits do run fast, bounce and bash around the place in a very un-hedgehoggy manner ... BUT ... the ears required too much computer power to make them wobble in the wind, so they went for the static-spines of a hedgehog instead! Much more on this in the book I wrote for the Reaction series on the iconography of different species.
Two rather interesting updates popped up in the last few days - one was very disturbing - hedgehogs, and other wildlife, face as much of a threat from the planting of biofuel crops (to try and limit impact of climate change) as they do from climate change itself. Here is a summary.
It troubles me because while we are busy lobbying for a change that will impact, positively, the lives of hedgehogs in suburbia, our rural hogs are being hammered from all sides. And for the persistent notes about badgers, I will write about them soon - plot spoiler .... it is not a black and white problem!
The second piece I saw was about the Hainan gymnure ... which I am sure you are all well aware is a relative of our hedgehog - protected not with spines but with a remarkable odour! The story in New Scientist suggests that this rare and rarely seen beast might be thriving in Vietnam. Which is a country that continues to reveal amazing diversity of life. The bit that REALY got my attention though was a throw-away remark in the article "Gymnures and moonrats are close relatives of the winsome spiky hedgehogs."
Winsome?? has the journalist never spent time with a hedgehog? 'appealing in a fresh, innocent, way' is the definition of winsome ... and having shared a bedroom with one for a couple of weeks (another story) they are ANYTHING but fresh!
Hope all your hedgehogs are tucked up in their hibernacula by now .... some top tips on winter gardening for hedgehogs coming soon too ....
Brownie points for identifying the picture!