Hedgehog countings in The Netherlands was a great success in 2023
You may have already heard about it in the media, but 2023 was a special year for the European hedgehog in the Netherlands. Never before have so many people been counted during the weekend of the annual Hedgehog Count (17-19 September 2023) and a record number of hedgehogs was also counted. 5505 participants took part and provided 6126 counts.
This year the record was broken in every province in the Netherlands. The Zoogdiervereniging attributes the success to the increasing fame of the Tuintelling. Reports were also received via Waarneming.nl and Telmee.nl and were included in the figures.
European hedgehog under pressure
Despite the record number of reports during the National hedgehog countings in the Netherlands, the European hedgehog is still under pressure. Over the past 50 years, numbers have dropped considerably and concerns about the existence of the European hedgehog in the Netherlands have increased. In recent years the hedgehog population appears to be increasing again, but the hedgehog will still need a lot of help in the coming years. Would you also like to help?
Tips for your garden
Make sure that your garden has sufficient hiding places and is accessible for European hedgehogs. This can be done by making an opening of at least 15 cm in diameter in your fence or fence, through which they can easily walk at night. Plant some shrubs and flowers. Especially flowers and shrubs that are attractive to insects, because that is a feast for the European hedgehog. Place a hedgehog hotel under the bushes so that the hedgehog can shelter, spend the night and perhaps even hibernate. A bowl of cat food and a bowl of water are also appreciated by hedgehogs. Keep in mind that this can also attract cats and other unwanted guests. Preferably no milk, because hedgehogs are lactose intolerant.
