In a bit of a prickle

KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR HEDGEHOGS IN CATTLE GRIDS

This season, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) aren't only reminding us all to check bonfires before lighting, but also asking us to look into cattle grids, when we're out and about.

They're currently gathering data to measure the impact of their original campaign, over 40 years ago, to place ramps inside cattlegrids, preventing hedgehogs and other wildlife from becoming trapped. The near-vertical walls beneath the grids are too steep for animals and birds to climb out, often resulting in long, drawn out death by dehydration and/or starvation.

In order to see if cattlegrids are and still problematic they'd be really grateful if you could make a note of the following:-

5. Are there any hedgehogs (alive or sadly dead) trapped inside?

If a live hedgehog is trapped, please rescue it if it is safe to do so & call them on 01584 890801 or click HERE

Please also send your findings to nicky@britishhedgehogs.org.uk with 'Ramp Ranger' as the subject.

History

To quote from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, "BHPS began because of this risk to hedgehogs. Major Adrian Coles found a hedgehog in a cattlegrid on his land in 1982, he rescued it using a saucepan - but realised that if there hadn't been a Major on hand with kitchenalia, the hedgehog would not have survived!

He used his position as a County Councillor at the time to get Shropshire Council to install escape ramps in all its grids. The resulting publicity was so vast that he realised there was a great appetite to help the humble hedgehog in the UK; and so, the Society was founded. We want to collect current data on this to see how the rural landscape has changed in the past 41 years and if this issue is impacting hedgehog populations."

According to the BHPS the cost of installing an escape ramp for small animals is negligible and "they should be provided in at least one but preferably two corners of the pit (preferably "outer" corners i.e. corners to which the cattle/sheep do not have access). Ramps (150 - 200 mm wide) can be made of concrete, wood or metal, should not have a smooth surface and should have a slope not exceeding 1 in 2. The pit should be adequately drained. If it is impossible for an animal to gain access to the whole of the pit i.e. if it is sectionalised, more ramps would be required."

Ramp image credit: 'The future is unmown', for the BHPS.