UK hedgehog numbers 'in drastic decline'

Hedgehog numbers are diminishing rapidly, experts say.

Simon Thompson, a hedgehog officer at the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said there had been a drastic decline in the number of UK hedgehogs due to the construction of roads and railways, as well as modern garden fences.

“Back in the 1950s the best estimate was that we had 30 million hedgehogs and today we’re down to under one million,” he said.

Home-owners could help by cutting a CD-sized hole in garden fences, allowing freedom of movement for small mammals, added Mr Thompson.

BBC producer Ben Sutherland brought his pet, Hugo, into the studio. The African pygmy hedgehog is smaller than UK hedgehogs and does not get fleas, making him a much more suitable pet.