Well, a hedgehog dome, to be precise. It was built last Friday in the De Brummelwal Bee Garden on Westerdrift and is intended to provide hedgehogs with a safe hiding and sleeping place. Volunteers Auke, Bruno, Joke, Mark, and Monique rolled up their sleeves. The latter proposed the idea for this project in November during the Green Meeting, a gathering organized by the Groen Diever and surrounding area foundation.
Hedgehogs have had a rough time of it lately. Mild winters have caused them to awaken early from hibernation, at a time when food is scarce. They also suffer from long dry spells in the summer. Moreover, our neat, paved gardens offer little shelter for the foraging hedgehog, which often travels great distances in search of food. Hedgehog domes are welcome resting places in such cases.
A good hedgehog dome must meet many requirements. It should be well-insulated at the top, with an airy floor made of branches, straw, and leaves to prevent the chambers from becoming too damp. The dome in the Bee Garden has three separate chambers, because hedgehogs prefer to be alone. Each chamber therefore has its own entrance. This entrance must be precisely sized to prevent unwanted visitors. Dogs and cats, in particular, are known to prey on our prickly friends.
In short, a hedgehog dome in Diever that meets all the requirements. Now let’s hope the hedgehogs agree and the dome can soon welcome its first residents!
