With the Big Wild Sleepout on the way, let's take a look at some of Wales’ favourite night-time wildlife.
Hands up all those who don’t love hedgehogs.
No-one? That’s hardly suprising – the distinctive, spiny ‘hog is one of our most recognisable wild animals and a true icon of the Great British woodland. It’s also a firm favourite worldwide; the Czech Republic city of Jihlava even has a hedgehog on its coat of arms.
Yet despite our shared fascination with these tiny, snuffling creatures, the hedgehog is notoriously shy. They’re almost entirely nocturnal, only venturing out during the day when food is extremely scarce, which is why the Big Wild Sleepout is the perfect chance to catch a night-time glimpse. If you have a garden, you might spot ‘hogs there. They’ve also found a home at Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve, where a Sleepout event is being held on Saturday 10th August, and as we’re pitching our shelters for the night, the hedgehogs will be getting ready to leave theirs.
We’ll need our man-made, canvas tents to keep us warm in the wild, but the humble hedgehog has long mastered the art of using nature’s own supplies to build a home. To a hedgehog, a spot of woodland or even a garden is like a massive bed warehouse – so many different places to sleep. They’re great opportunists, building a nest of leaves and plants hidden under whatever protection they can find – dead leaves, brambles or even beneath sheds. A hedgehog nest can be up to a foot long, usually slightly bigger than the animal itself, and these nests are much needed in winter, when the ‘hogs will hunker down and hibernate until spring comes round and they can once again dig for worms.
Hedgehog numbers have dropped by nearly 30 million since the 1950s, and they’re not the only animals to suffer huge losses. It’s now more important than ever that we get out there and learn to understand, appreciate and help our wildlife. For our secretive, hidden creatures this means entering their world – and heading out under the stars...
Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve is owned and managed by The Countryside Council for Wales, who work in partnership with the RSPB Cymru, Newport County Council, and others for the benefit of wildlife and people.
To find out more about the Big Wild Sleepout and how you can get involved, visit
rspb.org.uk/sleepout
For more information about hedgehogs, and how to help the ones that live near you, check out the links below.
http://www.brentlodge.org/ways-to-help-wildlife/91.html
http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/facts/hedge.htm
http://www.wildlife-web.org.uk/hedgehog/facts
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