Where have all the hedgehogs gone?

[karmabum]

Can anyone explain why I haven't seen a single hedgehog in the last 18 months? Not even a squashed one on the road. Have they been hit by some plague? (I live in the Surrey/SouthLondon area)

[mrs_overall]

licks her lips guiltily and says nothing

[B00]

Good question!

I haven't seen one alive or squished either for a good couple of years now. I'll never forget one year being ruddy terrified on hearing scratching on my front door, on plucking up courage to investigate I found a hedgehog trying to "burrow" his way through the wood!

[B00]

lol @ Mrs O!!

I used to have a dog that could pick hoggies up in her mouth, no idea how she managed it.

[smudge]

lol Mrs O! D'ya need a plaster?!

We used to have the odd (well not 'really' odd) hedgehog in our back garden, but since we've put concrete gravel boards at the bottom of our fence, we haven't had any.

Not even seen any squashed on the road for a very long time either - thankfully!

[cruella]

We have had two in our garden all summer.
They are probably hibernating now.

[smudge]

BOO!! Great minds think alike at Mrs O!!!

[mrs_overall]

No need for a plaster, thanks smudge.
When they're baked in clay the prickles come off when you unpeel the clay.
Oops, have I said too much?

[Jugglering]

Unfortunately, these lovely animals have been in decline for quite a few years now - the fact that few ex-hoggies are seen on the road is an indication of how few there are left to be run over.

Lots more info on them here:-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0 ,13369,1687999,00.html

[karmabum]

oh dear - so it seems they are becoming a rarity - but why? I'm really concerned - I mean it's so sudden. One year they're all over the place, and then ...... tumbleweed...... is there a hedghoggy form of myxamatosis?

[bensmum]

I see them regularly squashed on the road unfortunately. I do have one in the garden but haven't seen it for a while and there have been no little "deposits" lately. It is hopefully tucked up under the compost heap somewhere.

[evedawn]

I've NEVER seen a HEdgehog - Ever - squashed or otherwise! :-(
.

[hau kola]

Ive got 2 in my garden.I saw one of them 2 nights ago,i think they should be hibernating now though.Apparently,they need to eat a lot before hibernation but there isnt much food about.