This is unexpected … was planning on giving you all a rest (and me!) - but Tuesday 20th January proved to be a day so filled to the brim with hedgehogs that I need to share what went on!!

As ever, please pop over to the Substack version to have an opportunity to join in conversations and see more pictures (if there are … not sure yet!!)

Monday evening I was writing Tuesday’s update, about the Copenhagen conference … I am rather pleased with it, so do take a look if you have not read it yet.

I got an email from ‘Hedgehog Central’ - would I be up for doing an interview on BBC Radio 5Live with Adrian Chiles … well, of course - I don’t think I have ever been interviewed by him before and always love a challenge … could I get him to smile???

But what about? Well, it turns out that Nottingham Trent University along with Chester Zoo, had been doing some research into hedgehogs around the Chester area, and it was just being published … and who to turn to when there is a hedgehog story??

The study was the result of camera traps being placed in over 400 gardens, and then the results analysed … what were the factors that seemed to attract hedgehogs? 

We spend a lot of time asking people to make their garden’s hedgehog friendly and this study was looking to see what factors played a part in luring visiting bundles of snuffling prickles. 

The research looked at a number of factors … and came to the very interesting conclusion that providing food was the most powerful attractant. All the other variables, compost heaps, ponds, log piles, were completely overwhelmed by the food.

There are a number of problems with the research, I feel, but have not had a chance to talk to the people involved to find out whether these had been accounted for. For example, whether the gardens had hedgehog highways, or whether the volunteers were rather self-selecting, in that they were much more likely to take part if they were already really keen about wildlife and had hedgehogs visiting!

I worried that the press would pick up on the simple reading of it, which could be that you don’t need to do anything else if you are feeding the hogs … but luckily they did not. And the paper does have this caveat …

“Thus, while our study found limited evidence for hedgehog-specific benefits of garden features compared to supplementary food, it is likely that their effects were confounded by the strong influence of food provision either in the same or neighbouring gardens. Therefore, we still advocate the inclusion of wildlife friendly garden features, including hedgehog management interventions, as hedgehogs and other urban biodiversity could still be benefitting from such features, even if their effects were not detected in our study.”

This is important - because one of the reasons I spend so much time advocating hedgehog friendly measures to be included in gardens is because many other species benefit from them - the compost heap, log pile and pond are all going to be amazing whether there are hedgehogs or not! And while it might seem like I am a hedgehog monomaniac … I do simply LOVE nature … and find that hedgehogs are a really good way to carry a message (ok, I do have a soft spot for hedgehogs … a very large, body sized and shaped, soft spot …)

Anyway 0740 the next morning - BBC Hereford and Worcester, 1010, BBC Sheffield, 1225, BBC Scotland, 1250, BBC 5Live, 1330, BBC Wales … by that point I was beginning to wonder whether I had already said things in the interview … or whether that was in the previous one!! Short, well, 90 minute, interlude for a meeting, plotting hedgehog activities for the year, then 1550, Country Life - and finally, at 1620, one of the most extraordinary interviews I have ever done!!!

I don’t think Trish Adudu, from BBC West Midlands, has interviewed me before, and I think I would have remembered … look, here is the clip - you can judge for yourself! It started with her and the producer talking about the cow that has been found to be using tools … to scratch their back. Then they turned to me, while discussing what hedgehogs like to eat and it spiralled out of control! I have never heard a presenter laughing so much … 

I had an opportunity to suggest that as we now recognised the intelligence of cows, through the same metric that used to be the defining feature of humanity - i.e. tool use - that maybe we should stop killing them for the pleasure of eating them … eventually I got to the bit I was there for - promoting hedgehog friendly activities… but … well, I would love to hear what you think!!

By the end of the day I was beyond exhausted - and did not want to speak to anyone ever again … so I set about cooking up a vegan feast for the family instead … and had a rare midweek glass (or two) of a very pleasant bottle of red wine!

Ok - next update comes with some serious news about planning law, but I promise to try and make it sound a little more exciting than it does at the moment!

If you are enjoying what I write, please share my content - would love to reach more people. Remember, there is no paywall … though … if you have the capacity and desire … help is always appreciated!

Oh - and the photo - that is me in my office with the wonderful hedgehog my brother gave me as a late Christmas present ... a musical hedgehog ... because it is made of Bach!!!