Hedgehog Friendly Campus
In 2022, the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) signed up to become a Hedgehog Friendly Campus (HFC). This is a project funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and started in 2018 in response to the rapidly declining hedgehog population. Hedgehogs are listed as vulnerable to extinction on Britain’s Red List due to habitat loss, developing land and other anthropogenic hazards (e.g. garden maintenance). Hedgehog Friendly Campus aims to protect hedgehogs from hazards, enhance habitats and raise awareness within the community.
As a part of Wild Campus Cirencester, the RAU installed 5 hedgehog shelters around the campus, and has aspired to improve the existing habitats on campus. HFC is divided into four sections, bronze, silver, gold and platinum; with each level requiring a certain number of tasks to be completed. In January 2023 we were proud to be awarded with our bronze award. The tasks required for this award covered a wide range of activities, and therefore we were able to include a wide range of both students and staff. One of the most exciting parts of this award was to conduct hedgehog surveys, this was done by both students and staff using ink tunnels and thermal imaging spotters which were kindly supplied by Infiray UK. These proved excellent methods for surveying as it allowed for us to gain an understanding of the general population on campus without being invasive.
We have been continually raising money for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. This has included collection points around campus as well as a Just Giving Page. However, our main event was the RAU’s Hedgehog Friendly Campus’ launch which was ran by conservation students Rebecca Smith and Angharad Webb. This was an excellent event which included a successful cake sale and multiple speakers to educate attendees on their work with hedgehogs and generally raising awareness. Most of the other tasks completed were done with the help of the Conservation Club. They have worked tirelessly to complete hazard and pond audits, build hedgehogs houses and bug hotels and complete copious amounts of litter picks (20 bags in total). In fact, we won an award for the strangest piece of litter found, which was a fridge! A key part of this award is to inspire others to become hedgehog heroes. To do this, we visited schools in the local area to teach about our Wild Campus Project as well as Hedgehog Friendly Campus. We completed a range of activities including how to rescue an injured hedgehog, invertebrate hunting and wildlife identification through the use of our camera trap footage.
