As the University of Warwick works towards Gold accreditation for being a Hedgehog Friendly Campus, Sustainability Assistant, Teegan Hayden-Smith discusses why the period between Halloween and Bonfire night is a tough time to be a hedgehog.

Teegan said "Between Halloween and Bonfire Night, hedgehogs face a particularly perilous journey"

"Pumpkins, a staple of Halloween, are not a suitable treat for them, and if eaten, can cause stomach issues. We encourage everyone to bring their pumpkins inside overnight or raise them off for the ground so that hedgehogs cannot reach them. You can offer hedgehogs a shallow dish of water and hedgehog food if you want to support them in your garden."

Then comes Bonfire Night, where hedgehogs are known to find cosy hiding places amongst bonfire structures, ahead of their lighting on or around the 5^th November. You can see how to check your bonfire for hedgehogs here.

The University of Warwick is enhancing its campus to create a safe home for hedgehogs. Bug hotels have been created across campus to provide food for hedgehogs and increase biodiversity. If you spot a hedgehog on campus or beyond, you can log it on the Big Hedgehog Map.

Over the last 12 months, staff and students at the University of Warwick have:

· Organised monthly litter picks: ‘Wednesday Warwick Wombles’

· Worked with the local community, providing information to local businesses about the risks of bonfires.

· Produced a garden maintenance and hedgehog-friendly guide for students who live off-campus.

· Conducted hedgehog surveys on the main and Wellesbourne campuses which revealed hedgehog footprints on central campus for the first time.

Teegan said “Achieving a Silver award just one year after achieving Bronze status means a great deal to our community, as it reflects our growing commitment to becoming a more environmentally friendly campus.”

This initiative is a reminder that, as Halloween and Bonfire Night approach, we need to protect these precious creatures. By adopting a hedgehog-friendly mindset, we can ensure that these charming animals remain safe and cherished during this challenging season.

This year, the team are working towards Gold accreditation. To achieve this, there will be various activities, such as hedgehog tunnel surveys in spring and putting up hedgehog signs on roads to tell people to slow down as wildlife is around. Furthermore, they will be using camera traps to monitor the wildlife on campus and hope to get footage of hedgehogs.