Hope for Britain's declining hedgehog population
Students take action to protect one of our favourite mammals
A university in Hampshire has been awarded 'gold status' for its success in protecting hedgehogs on campus.
Students and staff at the University of Winchester created hedgehog-friendly habitats, set up feeding stations and helped to survey hedgehog activity.
The project, which began in 2019, has also seen the installation of road signs warning drivers to slow down in case there are hedgehogs crossing.
Hedgehog numbers are estimated to have declined by nearly 50 per cent since the turn of the century.
Hedgehogs were added to the red list for British mammals in 2020, meaning the species are vulnerable.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society has awarded the University of Winchester with its gold hedgehog-friendly award for the university's efforts.