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Hedgehog Friendly Campus

NTU has made a commitment to help the UK’s Hedgehog population as part of the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Initiative.

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How we're helping hedgehogs

 
Hedgehog Friendly Campus at NTU

Filmed by BSc Wildlife Conservation student Tom Glenn in 2022 as part of HFC Gold Award

Hedgehog Decline in the UK

Published by the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), the State of Britain's Hedgehogs 2022 report shows that numbers of hedgehogs have fallen by up to 30% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas since the year 2000.

In 2020, the British Hedgehog was declared vulnerable to extinction and listed on the IUCN Red List for Britain's Mammals.

Our Achievements

NTU committed to making further improvements across the estate to help the UK’s Hedgehog population as part of the Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative in 2020.

In 2021, NTU achieved Bronze Award from ‘Hedgehog Friendly Campus’, in 2022 we achieved Silver Award and in 2023 we achieved Gold Award for Brackenhurst, Clifton, and City Campus.

Our work towards achieving a Hedgehog Friendly Campus has included:

  • Hedgehog surveys on campus
  • Allowing areas of campus green space to ‘rewild,’ helping to support hedgehogs and other local biodiversity
  • Undertaking pond audits across the estate; adding stepping stones to ponds with steep sides to help wildlife
  • Introducing log piles to our campuses
  • Installing a hedgehog crossing sign at Brackenhurst
  • Presenting our work to other universities and local primary schools, as well as mentoring St Peter’s Junior School in Ruddington who achieved Silver Award in February 2023
  • NTU's Landscaping Services Team attending Hedgehog Ecology and Management training to learn more about hedgehog-friendly landscaping practices

Check Your Bonfires

Log piles are the perfect nesting spot for hedgehogs as they provide protection and warmth as the temperatures drop into winter. Hedgehogs in the UK are already in serious decline and mortality from bonfires places preventable pressure on dwindling populations.

 
Protect Hedgehogs this Bonfire Night

PhD Student, Lauren Moore, shares tips on how to protect Hedgehogs during Bonfire season.

Building a Bonfire? #rememberhedgehogs

The Sustainability Team are asking staff, students and the public to always check their bonfires before lighting. Especially during winter, as hedgehogs will be on the hunt for somewhere to hibernate and a large pile of wood is exactly what they are looking for.

The following steps can be taken to ensure that your bonfire is wildlife friendly:

  1. Build your bonfire only hours before it is due to be lit.
  2. If you have built your bonfire in advance, the best practice would be to dismantle the bonfire and move it to a different spot before lighting it.
  3. Check your bonfire for wildlife with a broomstick, by using the pole to lift the edges of the bonfire. Make sure to check the centre of the pile and listen out for any movement or noise.
  4. Lighting your bonfire from one side only will provide an escape route if any wildlife has been missed.

News Stories

Impact of roadkill worse than thought, study reveals – and some mammal populations could even reach ‘tipping point’

Mon 20 Mar 2023

Hedgehog road safety in primary schools

Fri 9 Dec 2022

Hedgehogs in hibernation: what are their chances of survival?

Tue 27 Oct 2020

Hedgehogs on roads: new review assesses the problems and solutions

Tue 13 Oct 2020

New research throws light on factors associated with the decline of Britain’s hedgehogs

Wed 5 Sep 2018

NTU will be working towards Hedgehog Friendly Campus Platinum Accreditation from August 2023

Would you like to become an NTU Hedgehog Ambassador?

Email the Sustainability Team to get involved!