hedgehogs – Observations and Misunderstandings

Today’s news then is that hedgehogs are officially ‘vulnerable to extinction’. This is down to a variety of factors such habitat destruction, human development, introduced non-native species and the use of chemicals. I remember reading a while back now about hedgehog numbers becoming dangerously low and at the time thinking I hadn’t seen any for a while. They’re not typically animals you would come across as they’re prone to hiding as well as hunting at night I think. I say both of those things without being entirely sure but I think that’s the case.

For the last few months I have been driving a van delivering bread and I am constantly slowing down for rabbits, hares and the occasional deer. There is an entire world going on at night that we’re completely oblivious to. When we sleep it becomes safe for the rest of the animals to run free. But they don’t because the roads seem littered with carcasses which usually disappear by morning, most likely into the belly of a scavenger. What is sad though and why this hedgehog news has caught my eye is that I will easily see at least one dead hedgehog a day on the roads somewhere. While that may not seem like much it adds up and considering that is just what I see and is only road deaths, it comes as no surprise the situation for the hedgehog is starting to look so dire.

It seems mad to imagine such an iconic animal could be in danger of dying out and while it’s unlikely to happen soon because of sanctuaries and the speed these things happen, there is always the danger it’ll get to a tipping point and they’re unable to survive as a species without assistance. These things spiral. The Mammal Society has drawn up a list of forty-seven native mammals in this country and eleven, including the hedgehog, are in serious danger. If it were one species then you could isolate it but when this is happening to so many we must find that common denominator in this and accept our role.

We’ve seen what can happen with the native red squirrel which now only inhabits pockets in England and Wales, and larger areas of Scotland. The grey squirrel is an invasive animal brought across from America. It is larger and more dominant which has in turn pushed out the red squirrel. I remember red squirrels everywhere around my home in the countryside when I was growing up but now it’s nothing but greys. The native wildcat now only inhabits a tiny corner of northern Scotland. Are they destined for the same fate as the Tasmanian tiger. It may be a world away but surely we can learn something from these foreign lands our ancestors plundered and altered immeasurably. If not we’ll just continue to carry on their mistakes. All in the name of progress don’t forget. Roads are supposed to guide us and lead us in certain directions, but it’s starting to become clearer with every passing morning as I witness their devastating potential that they may just have become a symbol of us losing our way. That’s assuming we ever had any direction in the first place.

There can be something enjoyable about the more primitive pursuits. I have a few pallets of old stuff made of paper than can’t be thrown away and needs to be destroyed. Nothing dodgy of course, it’s just better to destroy some things. We have been trying to think of a good way of doing this without buying a shredder and it just dawned on me that I can build a big fire in the woods behind my house and spend a good few hours burning things and drinking beer. The drinking beer part is probably not the factor integral to the primitive pleasures but for sure there is a lot to be said for making a big fire and just burning stuff. I accept this could be because I grew up in the countryside and there is always stuff to burn, it just feels natural. We had an open fire and then a wood burner in the house, raked up leaves needed burning, old branches cut down and so on. There’s always something to burn and I have so many fond memories of standing outside with either one of my parents trying to control this huge bonfire, failing to avoid the smoke that seems to follow you and risking third degree burns just to push a branch into a slightly better burning position. I’m genuinely excited about the prospect of this big fire.

For those not familiar with Scotland they needn’t worry about me burning down the forest. I could make a fire and not bother clearly any old foliage around it, cover it in petrol, leave it and come back hours later, and the only danger will be that it has gone out. We don’t get forest fires where I am, the constant risk of rain renders everything inflammable. For those familiar with the dangers to hedgehogs and other hibernating animals then don’t worry I am clearly aware of this as a thing and will check any piles of branches and leaves nearby or where I burn. No hedgehog will die on my watch.

As I said though there is a real pleasure in burning stuff. Obviously from the parents stuff above there is an emotive connection. There is the warmth from the fire which makes caveman me feel safe. There is the need to destroy and out of that the necessity to understand and observe the cycle of destruction and creation as the ash fertilises the forest. There is the satisfaction of ticking something off the list of things that have been getting in my way for a long time too. And let’s be honest there’s the excuse to stand around and stare at the flames while drinking beer which feeds a need to drink beer and stand around staring at things. Why we don’t make more fires I really don’t know, there clearly are no downsides to it what so ever.

Tag: hedgehogs

Hello Mr Hedgehog

Burning Stuff