We are so close - over 980,000 of you have signed the petition - and when we get to 1,000,000 I am going to relaunch the pressure on government to make the changes we need to see; to get hedgehog highways built into all new developments. Please help make that happen.

I took a break from hedgehogs (I know, shock! horror!) last week to go and do some more research into my new book (coming out in October) all about beavers ... And that forced me to spend my first night away from the family since last August. 

This horror was compounded by the fact that I had to stay in a little shepherds hut just north of Dartmoor - complete with wood burner and peace and quiet! The site is owned by beaver expert (and now, breeder) Derek Gow. He has written an amazing, and very funny, book about his exploits called Bringing Back the Beaver - well worth a read. And if you want to learn more of his work with Wild Cats, mouflon, water buffaloes, water voles, storks and cranes, then you can book a moment of utter delight in one of the huts. The noise of a land returning to itself will lull you to sleep and wake you fresh in the morning. 

While on the subject of books (and yes, I would LOVE you all to buy mine too) I was sent an absolutely wonderful book for young people - called 'Poppy Goes Wild' - it is a sweet story of a girl helping her grandad rewild his farm - and there are hedgehogs!! Nick Powell and Becca Hall have produced something very special. 

But back to this 2% ... how are we going to generate the final push? Well, the easiest way is to share this petition ... all it will take is just (if my maths is right) 0.2% of you to get one friend to sign ... that is all ... and then, with a million of you at my back - I will confidently take our message back to government. One small step for hedgehogs, one giant leap for the reversal of ecological degradation! 

photo - me at the shepherd hut ... go on ... you know you want to visit!!!