We’re very excited to announce that we’ve achieved the Bronze Hedgehog Friendly Campus accreditation
Did you know that hedgehog numbers in the UK have declined by 50% since 2000 and there are now estimated to be fewer than 1 million left? We wanted to do something about this and so joined the Hedgehog Friendly Campus scheme, which is designed to make our campuses places where hedgehogs can thrive. The Hedgehog Friendly Campus scheme is sponsored by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and has three levels, bronze, silver and gold. We are very proud to have obtained the bronze level in March 2021. To obtain accreditation, we had to fulfil 10 out of 18 possible criteria. These included creating hedgehog houses on campus, making sure our grounds teams are aware of what to do if they find a distressed hedgehog, putting stickers on our strimmers to alert users to potential danger to hedgehogs, holding hedgehog awareness activities and raising money for the BHPS. A massive thank you to Zoology student Taylor Sanzari, Sustainability Officer Grace McMeekin and Grounds Supervisor Dimi for all their hard work. We are now aiming to achieve the silver award by March 2022. Get in touch with the sustainability team, sustainability@qmul.ac.uk if you’re interested in helping out!
1 Feb 2021
Hedgehog Blog: The Dangers of Slug Pellets and Other Poisons
Find out about risks to hedgehogs as part of Queen Mary's Hedgehog Friendly Campus campaign
One of the many dangers faced by hedgehog is poisoning by commonly used pesticides and slug pellets. Many types of poisonous chemicals used in gardens and farmland are capable of negatively affecting hedgehogs, either directly or indirectly.
Slug pellets
Metaldehyde-based slug pellets are the most commonly used poison against slugs in the UK and can potentially be lethal to hedgehogs if ingested directly. These pellets have also contributed to the general decline of invertebrates. This factor along with overly tidy gardening, metaldehyde-based pesticides have likely indirectly contributes to the overall decline in hedgehog population.
As of April 2021, it will officially become illegal in the UK to sell or supply slug pellets containing metaldehyde for outdoor use. The personal usage of these pellets will become illegal from the April 2022, allowing for a one-year grace period where existing personal supplies of pellets can be used.
After these dates, anyone caught selling, supplying, buying or using metaldehyde slug pellets in the UK will be breaking the law. If you see this happening, please report it to the Environmental Health Department at your local Council.
There are many natural alternatives to keeping slugs away from your garden, below are some examples;
General pesticides and rodenticides
Other types of pesticides can also directly affect hedgehogs such as anticoagulant rodenticides and herbicides as these chemicals are toxic if ingested. Herbicides also reduce worm population which is not only the main food source hedgies, but also in badgers. A decline in the badger’s food source could indirectly cause an increase in predation rate on hedgehogs.
There many different alternatives to rodenticides and herbicides such has humane traps, organic weedkillers and the addition of mulches to your garden.
Pesticides and other poisons not only have a negative affect on hedgehogs but also on other organisms in the surrounding environment such as birds, bees, plants and different types of primary and secondary consumers.
If you have any pesticides or poison you want to safely get rid of, please contact your local council for appropriate disposal.
Our Hedgehog Friendly Campus group are always looking out for new members and have plenty of upcoming tasks. So if you're interested, please take a look at how to get involved and help your local hedgehogs.
27 January 2021
Hedgehog Friendly Campus Update
Queen Mary's Hedgehog Friendly Campus group have been working towards the Bronze accreditation
Hedgehog Friendly Campus is a national biodiversity programme for universities funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. This project offers free support to staff and students to make impactful changes for hedgehogs on campuses across the country. With more and more of their habitat and population decreasing, at Queen Mary we decide to lend a helping hand to the hedgies.
The Hedgehog Friendly Campus group is comprised of student and staff members all sharing a passion for wildlife, nature and of course; hedgehogs! Our mission is to undertake activities that make our campus more beneficial for hedgehogs in variety of ways. The group is currently aiming to for the Queen Mary Mile End Campus to reach the bronze level accreditation ahead of this year's deadline at the end of January.
What we have accomplished so far:
There are plenty of upcoming tasks and we are always looking for new members. So if you're interested, please take a look at how to get involved and help your local hedgehogs.
09 December 2020
Hedgehog Friendly Campus
Did you know that hedgehog numbers have declined by at least 30% since 2000? Queen Mary has joined the national campaign to make universities Hog-Friendly
The Western European hedgehog is found throughout the majority of the UK and are well established in our urban and rural areas. Unfortunately, in recent years hedgehogs face a number of pressures in rural and urban development causing their numbers to decline by at least 30% since 2000. They are now classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable to extinction.
But there is still hope for these little creatures and many things you can help them regain their numbers!
What is a Hedgehog Friendly Campus?
If you have any questions about this campaign or would like to get involved with the Hedgehog Friendly Campus group please get in touch with Tom Stockton, the Students’ Union Sustainability Coordinator (t.stockton@qmul.ac.uk)
The biggest threats to hedgehogs are habitat loss and fragmentation. By creating hedgehog-sized holes in fences or walls in the garden, it enables plots of land to become linked allowing the hedgehogs a well-connected range of habitats to find food, mates and areas to rest.
Hedgehogs nest and hide in stacks of leaves or branches in your garden. They also hibernate in these refuges during the months of November to mid-March. This makes it especially important to check these piles before removing them or lighting a bonfire.
Hedgehogs can become injured or they can starve to death by getting trapped in discarded rubbish.
Supplementary cat or dog food and formulated hedgehog food can make up a significant part of their diet which can mean the difference between life and death for starving hedgies. Access to water is also very important, especially during warmer months.
These little critters are having a harder time finding refuges to rest, hibernate and raise their young. Building or buying a hedgehog house for you garden can help them survive and repopulate.
For more information on hedgehogs and how you can help, please visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society website at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk
You can also sign the British Hedgehog Preservation Society's petition to protect the UK's dwindling hedgehog population before it's too late. - Petitions (parliament.uk)