Sir David Attenborough has revealed a simple yet crucial way gardeners can help one of Britain's most cherished – and threatened – creatures make a comeback. In a YouTube video posted to the BBC's channel, titled 'Sir David Attenborough sends a hedgehog on his way,' part of the broadcaster's Wild London series, the legendary naturalist discusses how hedgehog sightings have become increasingly rare over the years.
"I used to have a hedgehog that lived in my garden all the time, but now they're a rare sight," he says of the creatures, which he calls "charming, but not very social."
Hedgehog numbers in sharp decline
Hedgehog numbers across the UK have fallen sharply since 2000, with rural populations declining by as much as 75%. Surprisingly, urban areas have become sanctuaries for these small mammals, and Attenborough says there is genuine reason to hope they could start appearing everywhere again.
In the footage, a hedgehog tucks into food left out by a human as Attenborough explains: "Hedgehogs can eat up to 100 grams of food in a night, and that can take quite a lot of collecting. But this one has hit the jackpot. Every evening, the owner of this garden provides a feast for them. Tonight he's searching for a mate, and he'll need all the energy he can find."
The obstacle of garden fences
Attenborough adds that London has more gardens per square mile than any other capital city, but hedgehogs face one major obstacle: strong fences typically separate gardens, leaving them trapped. "All across London, garden owners are putting holes in their fences, creating hedgehog highways that allow safe travel from garden to garden," says Attenborough.
He encourages the idea of helping to establish a "hedgehog highway" - safe, direct routes that enable hedgehogs to move freely between gardens rather than becoming trapped in isolated patches of green space - by cutting small holes on either side of garden fences, reports the Express.
How to create a hedgehog highway
And creating one couldn't be simpler. If you'd like to welcome hedgehogs into your garden and give them a helping hand, just draw a 13cm x 13cm square (roughly the size of a CD case) at the very bottom of your fence panel at ground level. Then use a small saw or knife to cut out the marked square.
To finish off, smooth down the rough-cut edges with sandpaper so that hedgehogs do not scrape themselves. It's also well worth having a word with your neighbours to encourage them to do the same in their gardens.
If you have a different type of fencing, there's no need to worry - other options include removing a brick from the base of a brick fence, or, if you have a concrete gravel board, digging a channel underneath it or core-drilling a hole straight through it.
