LUC ecologists were delighted to undertake hedgehog surveys this year, a first for the team. This is a species with limited protection, and therefore surveys for this species are generally uncommon.

A recent report by the British Trust for Ornithology, commissioned by People’s Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) to determine the state of Britain's hedgehogs, indicates that at a conservative estimate a quarter of the population has been lost in the last ten years. As this decline continues to be reported surveys for this species are likely to become more common place.

LUC had the opportunity to undertake surveys in an area of open space in south-east London to inform public access enhancements and future management of the site, including opportunities to provide a nature education resource for local schools.

Surveys were undertaken following the procedure established by the Mammal Society for the National Hedgehog Survey. This involved placing ten hedgehog tracking tunnels around the site concentrated along edge habitats (e.g. scrub edges). Each tunnel contained clean paper (to record footprints), a wet ‘ink’ pad (made up of vegetable oil and carbon powder) and bait (hotdogs, apparently a hedgehog favourite). The tunnels were left in place for five continuous nights and checked daily for the presence of hedgehog footprints and to ensure they were still in position, with the paper, ink pad and bait replaced during each visit.