PONTELAND WILDLIFE GROUP

Recent years have seen a decline in the numbers of hedgehogs in the UK, although there is some evidence that populations in urban areas may be stabilising (see ‘The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2018’). Many residents report seeing hedgehogs in their gardens in Ponteland and surrounding areas, so the Ponteland Wildlife Group (PWG) undertook a survey to try and determine their current local distribution.

 

Members of PWG and Friends of Ponteland Park (FOPP) were requested to complete a short questionnaire asking whether they had seen hedgehogs in their garden or street during 2018, how regularly they saw them, and whether there was evidence of winter hibernation in their garden. Members were specifically asked to respond even if they had not made sightings, as it is also important to try and identify areas were hedgehogs are absent.

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Responses were given by 70 members of the two groups. Of these 44 were in Ponteland (including Smallburn) and 26 in surrounding areas (extending as far as Morpeth, Scot’s Gap and parts of Newcastle!). 45 of the 70 had seen hedgehogs, and 25 had not; in Ponteland, positive sightings were reported in 27 (61%) of the 44 responses. One third (14) of those who had seen hedgehogs said they were present regularly, and nine had evidence that they were hibernating. For anyone interested in all the figures, these are given in a table at the end of the report.

The distribution of the responses is shown in the two maps below: one (map A) for Ponteland, and the other (map B) for the surrounding areas. Red circles are where hedgehogs were present, and grey circles where there was no sighting. 

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Map A: hedgehog sightings in Ponteland

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Map B: hedgehog sightings in areas around Ponteland

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Sightings were widely distributed throughout the Ponteland area. Perhaps not surprisingly many were around the peripheral parts of the residential area where there is easy access from the countryside, but the hedgehogs also clearly make their way to the centre of Darras Hall, presumably encouraged by the large, wildlife-friendly gardens. Some Darras Hall residents report regularly having up to six hedgehogs where food is provided reliably. Reports outside Ponteland were widespread, with sightings from Stamfordham to Hazlerigg, and along the Tyne valley. There appears to be a notable concentration of animals in Kingston Park, perhaps surprising given that it is bounded by the A1 and A696. 

It’s not possible from this limited survey to work out how many hedgehogs there might be at a particular location, particularly as some animals may be sighted in several different gardens as they forage. But the survey does give us some indication of their current distribution and forms a baseline against which any future surveys could be compared, so that we can monitor trends in the population and distribution. In the meantime we can all help to sustain our hedgehogs by following the guidance provided on the ‘Hedgehog Street’ website:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Appendix

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Table: summary of information provided by responses

           (*information not provided in all responses)

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