FAMILIES in Bovey Tracey and Heathfield are being encouraged to make their communities more hedgehog-friendly by introducing a few simple changes such as lowering driving speeds and creating holes in garden fences.

They have also been asked to report sightings of the animals in a bid to build a picture of their habits and movements.

The call has come from the Bovey Hedgehog Group (BHG), a body set up in 2023 and consisting of wildlife wardens, town councillors and residents.

It has been looking into the possibility of having Department of Transport signs erected at known hedgehog blackspots where the endangered species are killed and injured.

The group is also keen to explore all other means of promoting their welfare.

‘Sadly, our much-loved hedgehogs are threatened, having undergone considerable population declines in recent decades,’ said Cllr Sue Simmons who sits on the town council and is a BHG member.

‘To reverse this trend, we need to remove the threats they face and put in place practical conservation measures.

‘One easy task is to make sure that hedgehogs can travel through your back garden to the neighbours, that can be achieved by cutting a 10cm hole in your fence.

‘Whole streets can do this together.

‘Ensure that hedgehogs are well-fed by creating leafy corners and log piles where they can forage for grubs and insects.

‘You can also offer a good quality meaty cat or dog food or dry cat biscuits.

‘And only ever offer fresh water to drink, never milk.’

The group is also hoping to echo the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme (NHMP) by asking residents to track their local population.

‘We’d love to know where our prickly friends are moving around in Bovey and Heathfield,’ said Jan Connors who convenes the informal group.

‘You might be lucky enough to have a trail camera you can install or simply keep a look out for their droppings.

‘In the future we hope that all your results and photos can be logged via the Bovey Tracey Town Council website and we’ll use the data to inform our future campaigns.

‘In the meantime, the Hedgehog Group will be at the Bovey Tracey Christmas fair on November 22 and would be delighted to plot hedgehog sightings on their maps.

‘Getting involved can be great family fun - such as designing your own hedgehog t-shirts - and there is plenty of information available from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

‘Let’s make Bovey and Heathfield a real haven for these wonderful creatures before it’s too late.’