Many years back I was invited over to Jersey by Dru Burdon to talk about hedgehogs at the zoo. She has been running the rescue on the island since 1992 and also helping research take place. I had a great time - borrowed a bike and went cycling around the island!
Jersey is an interesting laboratory - an island with enough hedgehogs from which we can possibly draw lessons as they are studied. They were introduced in the middle of the 19th century at around the same time as the red squirrels. And have, it seems, flourished in the absence of some of the threats that are more common on the mainland. There are fewer cars, and there are no badgers!
But Dru's most recent work shows something alarming. In just the last 10 years, numbers seem to have fallen by a third ... The survey of the island revealed just 900 sightings this year, compared to 1,500 in 2012.
Now all surveys will have some caveats - researcher effort might have been a factor. But there is also the very real chance that this is revealing something true. Not just the decline but also the decline in the absence of badgers ... most updates I find comments from people who believe that we must kill badgers to save hedgehogs ... this is not a very ecologically literate position to take - and here is clear evidence that badgers, while undoubtedly part of the problem, are not the entire problem.
And if we have seen such a population collapse in the relatively benign environment on Jersey, the alarm should ring very loud in deed.
I imagine that a large part of the problem will have been the gradual erosion of our macro invertebrate fauna - as the bugs and other mini beasts slip away, so the animals they feed will also suffer. We tend not to notice those less charismatic animals when they decline - we are unlikely to be raising a petition to bring back the slug, beetle and worm. So - and I apologise for the cliche - our hedgehog is operating very much as a canary in a coal mine ... as a generalist feeder on these animals, they are telling us that all is not well.
What can we do? Well as ever, we need to ensure that the areas of land we have agency over are managed with hedgehogs in mind. If you are lucky enough to have a garden, please read this guide. If not and you want to get involved, talk to the land managers - those who care for public open space, parks, playing fields. The needs of hedgehogs are quite straightforward ... food, water, shelter and the chance of meeting a mate ... all helped by being able to get from one garden to another ... which is, of course, the reason for the petition!
For Jersey? Well I think this really does need some further research and I hope that Dru is able to drum up enthusiasm and get more work done. Has the insect population suffered? Are people noticing fewer bugs splashed on the windscreens of their cars? Are fewer moths flapping into the kitchen window at night when you accidentally leave the light on? These are all warning signs. I wrote about this in the Guardian over 5 years ago!
In other news ... here is a photo of me, Sonic, Ben Fogle and the wonderful Grace Johnson - the Hedgehog Officer of the Hedgehog Street - from when we piggy-backed our hedgehog message on the launch of the new Sonic game ... can't tell you much about the game as I have never understood the fascination with computer games ... I played for about 15 minutes and got killed, a lot ... and decided that was enough!
At the weekend I joined my dear friend Hannah Bourne-Taylor as she marched naked (almost) through the streets of London ... her campaign is so similar to ours - she is trying to get swift bricks built into new houses - I encourage you to sign her petition here - she was amazing - bold - and has received an avalanche of very positive news coverage (but why do the trolls also have to leap into this?).
As ever, any spare coins tossed in my metaphorical buskers hat are appreciated.
And would there by any interest in signed bookplates? Last year I was surprised by how many people wrote to me with an SAE to receive a personalised dedication (usually for someone's xmas gift) ... let me know in the comments if you would like me to offer this again.