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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 3rd May 2022
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British Hedgehog Preservation Society celebrates 40 years
"A little effort from each of us could make life a lot easier for hedgehogs" - Fay Vass, chief executive, BHPS.
To mark the anniversary, the charity is asking people to 'do their bit' for hedgehogs. 

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary over this year's Hedgehog Awareness Week (1 – 7 May 2022).

In celebration of its landmark anniversary, the charity is asking members of the public to 'grant some hedgehoggy birthday wishes', to support the UK's hedgehog population. 

Some suggestions the charity has provided are making hedgehog highways in fences, creating square gaps in the bottom of fences or walls to allow hedgehogs to pass through, creating an undisturbed log pile to provide shelter and food for hedgehogs and building a hedgehog home.

Other ideas the charity has offered for celebration include leaving out water and meaty dog or cat food, checking carefully before mowing or strimming, ditching pesticides and poisons, ensuring that all ponds and pools have a way for hedgehogs to easily get out, creating a wild corner in the garden and joining the BHPS. 

In a news release, the charity shared the heartwarming story of its founding: “It all began when Adrian (Major Adrian Coles MBE) found a hedgehog in a cattle grid on his land; he rescued it using a saucepan and then realised that if there hadn’t been a Major on hand with kitchenalia, the hedgehog would not have survived! 

“He used his position as a County Councillor at the time to get Shropshire Council to install escape ramps in all its grids. 

“The resulting publicity was so vast that he realised there was a great appetite to help the humble hedgehog in the UK; and so, the Society was founded.”

Fay Vass, chief executive of BHPS, commented: “Hedgehogs are struggling and mostly that’s due to human activity; these small actions can help a great deal - a little effort from each of us could make life a lot easier for hedgehogs! 

“If you don’t have a garden yourself, you can still help by contacting public space managers, neighbours, family and friends to ensure they are doing their bit.”

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.