We have been delighted to receive 158 responses, letting us know where a hedgehog (or in some cases a couple or family of hedgehogs) have been seen, alongside a wealth of other fascinating insights...

This autumn the majority of hedgehog sightings took place in a garden, which is testament to the efforts so many of you have made to make your outdoor space as welcoming as possible for our spiky friends!

• 82 respondents provide food for hedgehogs
• 112 provide water
• 80 have a leaf or log pile in their garden
• 78 have a patch of naturally growing grass or wildflowers – perfect habitats for hedgehogs’ natural source of food, invertebrates such as beetles and grasshoppers.
• 80 respondents avoid the use of pesticides
• 62 have a hedgehog highway – to allow hedgehogs to roam from garden to garden in search of food or fallen leaves to build their nests from.
• 67 have a hedgehog house, providing a safe space for hedgehogs to hibernate over winter. Click here to learn how to build your own hedgehog house.

Many of you also mentioned the use of cameras to spot hedgehogs in your outdoor spaces. We were lucky enough to be sent photos and videos of local hedgehogs, which have been lovely to see! View the gallery below to see hedgehog pictures taken by you.

Hedgehog sightings across our patch

• 106 respondents (66.7%) saw one hedgehog
• 35 (22%) saw two hedgehogs together
• 17 (10.7%) saw a group of five or more hedgehogs
• 1 (0.6%) saw more than six hedgehogs in one sighting

Out of 158 hedgehog sightings, 114 (71%) took place in a garden. 13 (8%) occurred on a drive or driveway, 12 (7%) on a road or roadside, 8 (5%) in a field and just 2 (1%) in a park. All hedgehog sightings recorded can be seen here - www.durhamwt.com/hedgehog-survey.

The majority of hedgehogs were seen during the evening (52) and at night-time (81), which is to be expected as hedgehogs are nocturnal. A small number were spotted in the morning (7) and on an afternoon (21). Usually, the sight of a hedgehog during the day would be a sign that the hedgehog is unwell.

There are other signs to look out for which indicate that a hedgehog might need extra care. These include a hedgehog appearing lethargic, having flies around them or seeming wobbly on their feet. If you think that a hedgehog may be unwell, read our blog 'Help a Hedgehog' to learn how to help.

Durham Wildlife Trust can recommend the following local rescue centres:

• Pawz for Thought
• Wetheriggs Animal Rescue
• Farplace Animal Rescue
• Blyth Wildlife Rescue

How can I help hedgehogs at home?

If you’ve taken part in this year’s survey, you’ve already done something great for hedgehogs. By letting us know where and when you have spotted a hedgehog this autumn you are helping the Trust to to gather as much information as we can about our region's hedgehogs and help to protect them.

There are so many small actions you can take at home to make your garden more hedgehog-friendly; whether it’s creating a feeding station; making a ‘hedgehog highway’ between gardens with your neighbours; or leaving a patch of grass or wildflowers to grow, providing a safe hiding place and encouraging creatures that hedgehogs love to eat.

Adopt a hedgehog

Durham Wildlife Trust also offers the opportunity to adopt a hedgehog. With the purchase of our Adopt a Hedgehog package for yourself or a loved one you will be helping us to continue our efforts to build safe spaces for these beautiful creatures. With the money we receive we can support natural habitat restoration so that hedgehogs can thrive.

The majority of hedgehogs will now be nestled beneath leaves, perhaps in a hedgehog house, until the end of winter. However, we hope to run our Hedgehog Survey again next autumn to monitor whether there is any difference in hedgehog numbers over a long-term period.