Hedgehogs on the farm

Irish Hedgehogs

Hi All,
I am doing some research on hedgehogs in Ireland over the next few years. I hope to learn more about the numbers of hedgehogs we have and how they use different kinds of habitats.

I would love to hear from farmers of any kind around the country as to whether or not you have hedgehogs on your farm. I have set up a short online survey form - I know this is a busy time for farmers so I promise, it should only take less than 5 minutes and all answers are in strictest confidence.

If you have loads of hedgehogs or none, I would appreciate if you could fill out the survey. It can be accessed via the Irish Hedgehog Survey website. I am unable to post links as a new user but you can copy and paste the following into your browser and it should get you there irishhedgehogsurvey.com/farmer-questionnaire

My contact details are also on the site if you have any questions.

Thanks for your time

Link inserted:

https://www.irishhedgehogsurvey.com/farmer-questionnaire

mf240

Do badgers eat hedgehogs? Genuine question

Birdnuts

mf240 wrote: »

Do badgers eat hedgehogs? Genuine question

Some do - but it takes time for them to learn how to overcome their defences. Foxes would be smarter at it

Irish Hedgehogs

Yes, Badgers are the only ones with the strength and the tools (claws) to unroll a healthy hedgehog. Foxes may have a go and might manage a young or sickly hog, but usually can't manage it. Its thought that a lot of the hedgehogs presenting at rescue centres with a missing foot are victims of fox attacks.
Surveys in the UK have found that hedgehogs tend to avoid areas where badgers are found. The two species are competitors for food and badgers are known to prey on hedgehogs - particularly if resources are scarce or if numbers of either group are higher than normal. There is plenty of evidence of badgers, foxes and hedgehogs sharing space though, particularly in urban gardens where they are fed.

_Brian

This guy just appears this week. Our first ever sighting on the farm.

https://youtu.be/6o1gphz04uU

blue5000

I used to see them more often prior to the bad winter of 2010. Is there anything else that would cause the population to drop?

Birdnuts

blue5000 wrote: »

I used to see them more often prior to the bad winter of 2010. Is there anything else that would cause the population to drop?

Cold winters, Traffic casulties and other human factors all take a heavy toll on the population

Irish Hedgehogs

Yes, It might be that the local population was small and maybe isolated and if a lot of them were killed off e.g. by a severe winter, it might take a long time for the numbers to recover.