Hedgehog friendly campus

We are pleased to be getting started with the campaign, welcoming new students to the committee, raising awareness on campus, working towards next actions and planning the launch event.

Special thanks to Kayla Potter-Jones, MSci Ecology and Conservation graduate, who has provided us with her blog post ”Give a Hog a home” which is all about gardening for hedgehogs. Kayla is an aspiring ecologist and conservationist, who recently graduated from University of Brighton. With aims to inspire others to learn about and support their local wildlife! In her blog post, Kayla covers:

Gardening for hedgehogs
Hedgehog highways
Supplementary food and water
Hedgehog houses
What to do if you find an injured or sick hedgehog
and the signs of hedgehogs in your gardens

To check out Kayla’s blog post head to: Gardening for Wildlife-Hedgehog

Also available to find on Kayla’s Instagram account, https://www.instagram.com/wildgarden_ecology/and blog website: https://linktr.ee/wildgarden_ecology

The points that are focused on line up with our main focuses, on spreading awareness of actions that can be taken to provide for hedgehogs and protect them. In future HFC events we hope to address these issues and look at what can be done to help hedgehogs in more detail and on campus and in your own gardens.

A quick reminder of our official online launch event at 17:30 on Thursday 26th November, including a hedgehog-themed quiz, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes available!

At our launch event we will also be introducing the Big Hog friendly lock-down litter pick, which we have added the university to. Hedgehogs are covered in thousands of spines, making them vulnerable to becoming trapped in litter. Unfortunately, many hedgehogs die every year because of this. Taking part in the competition will clean up your community and save lots of animals. For further details about the event and how to take part head to our Facebook page and come along to our launch event.

Keep an eye on our blog posts and social media channels for the campaigns progress and information and advice about hedgehogs.

We are excited to announce that the university has joined a national scheme to boost the numbers of hedgehogs living on land owned by the University of Brighton and increase awareness about their plight. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society–registered campaign sets out a series of staff and student–led goals that if met will improve conditions for the prickly mammals living across our campuses.

To keep up with how we are making the university a more hedgehog-friendly place, please follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram where we’ll be posting regular updates. Ella Scott, a student involved in the project, said: “We’re actively recruiting members and holding our official online launch event at 17:30 on Thursday 26th November, including a hedgehog-themed quiz!”

Dr Bryony Tolhurst, Senior Lecturer in Behavioural Ecology, said: “While we know hedgehogs live across our local area, we don’t how many there are on our campuses, and we need to manage UoB premises to attract and maintain them. With help from students, we’re hoping to conduct hedgehog surveys and deploy measures to promote their safety, numbers and wellbeing”.

Finally, with bonfire night approaching it’s particularly important to remember the annual risk faced by sleeping hogs. You can help by checking all bonfires carefully before lighting. If possible, the entire pile should be re-sited before being lit, if not possible, use broom handles to lift from the base of the pile, and shine torches, looking and listening carefully for any signs of life.

Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) populations in Britain were recently classified as Vulnerable to extinction. Image: Hrald (CC)

By Dr Sam Penny

Brighton Hedgehog Friendly Campus

Creating a Hedgehog Friendly Campus at the University of Brighton

Month: November 2020

HFC News updates and Gardening for wildlife blog

Hedgehog friendly campus

Creating a Hedgehog Friendly Campus