Kingston Council has joined up with Kingston Libraries to present 'Reading Nature', a series of short videos exploring our green spaces and discovering local wildlife.

The sessions aim to awaken residents' curiosity for Kingston's natural heritage and encourage people to get outside to visit our local parks and nature reserves during Lockdown.

For the 10th episode of 'Reading Nature', however, we turn instead to our private gardens to learn about how we can help make Kingston a safer home for one of Britain's most popular mammals, the European hedgehog.

Biodiversity Officer Elliot Newton stands in the heart of suburban Berrylands to discuss the prickly little animals who depend on our gardens for their habitats.

We learn that a hedgehog typically has between 5000-7000 quills made of keratin on its back. These spines stay flat when the hedgehog is happy, but when it feels threatened, it will curl up into a ball and contract a muscle which makes the spines stand on end to ward off attackers.

Sadly, hedgehogs are in mass decline across the UK. Since the 1990s, we have lost two thirds of our nation's hedgehogs - but all is not lost! Decline is levelling off in urban and suburban areas, suggesting that these environments could provide important habitats to facilitate the continued survival of hedgehogs.

Elliot talks about why the species is under threat and what we can do to save our spiney friends:

Habitat fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation basically means that we are blocking the landscape for hedgehogs and reducing their ability to move. Around 32 hedgehogs are needed in order to maintain a healthy population and this requires at least a km squared of space.

If you have a garden, the easiest way to help with this is by making a small 13cm hole in both of your fences to make it easy for hedgehogs to move through in the evening - it might even choose to hibernate there in the winter!

Loss of hedgerows

Another issue hedgehogs face is a loss of natural habitat. Since World War 2, we've lost around 300,000km of hedgerow, which provides plenty of insects to eat and a safe place to hide away.

If you don't already have a hedge, you can always plant one if you want to provide a new habitat for hedgehogs, birds and other local wildlife. If you're not too married to the idea of a well- manicured garden, you could also create a wild area full of sticks, twigs and bramble for hedgehogs to hide in.

Predators

Hedgehogs are also at risk from other animals. Apart from the threat that local cats and foxes can sometimes pose, the badger appears to be its main rival. The two species share an 'asymmetrical intraguild predation relationship', which essentially means that they compete for the same food and resources.

Badgers and hedgehogs have been coexisting for millions of years, but the former can occasionally prey on the latter out of necessity when environmental factors make it too difficult for both to live off the land.

In winter months, you can help hibernating hedgehogs keep away from predators by building a hedgehog house! Then, they can take leaves and bed down in a relatively safe environment.

Other hedgehog dos and don'ts

Do:

-Create a wildlife pond - water is important for hedgehogs during the dry summer months, but make sure the pond edges are smooth and shallow, or they could fall in.

- Hedgehogs are good swimmers but their little legs make it difficult for them to climb back out!

- Put food and water out - a small water bowl and dog food is recommended.

- Look out for hedgehogs - if you see a hedgehog out in the day, it's probably poorly.

Don't:

Put milk out - hedgehogs are seriously lactose intolerant and milk makes them very sick.

Drive too fast - you should never do this, but if you drive more than 20 miles per hour down a residential street, there's a chance you may not see a hedgehog crossing.

Worry about fleas - your pets can't catch fleas off hedgehogs, so don't worry!

Finally, if you do see a hedgehog in the daytime, it's best to ring up the Hedgehog Preservation Society for advice HERE

In the meantime, you can put on some garden gloves and lift the hedgehog into a nice dry, quiet box with soft bedding, water and food.

Watch episode 10 of Reading Nature and watch the whole series on the Kingston Libraries YouTube channel HERE

Want to connect with other local nature lovers? Join the Reading Nature Facebook Group HERE