18/01/2012 by admin.

UK wildlife charities have requested the public’s help to see if hedgehogs are being affected by climate change. Numbers of the delightful creatures have plummeted from 30 million in the 1950s to less than 1.5 million in 1995 and the numbers now are thought to be much lower. Changing landscapes have clearly had a huge impact but the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species want to find out if high temperatures during hibernation and periods of extreme cold are adding to the decline in numbers.  Ideally hedgehogs prefer to hibernate in temperatures just below freezing.  The charities want people to register with the project and map them through February to August and submit their obeservations regularly. 

Five years ago the hedgehog was voted the favourite UK animal and we share that love. From our perspective, the study’s symbolic given the hedgehog question in our survey. It’s a question that stems from Hertfordshire folk being historically and fondly known as hedgehogs due to their supposed slow and prickly manner. 

We wish the survey every success. Here’s a delightful video of a hedgehog waking up… enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99peshpBzTU&feature=related

Posted in Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

10/12/2009 by admin.

An albino hedgehog named Snowball has been put on a diet and exercise machine at St Tiggywinkles hospital in Aylesbury. The spiney creature tipped the scales at 3 times its normal weight after feasting on dog food before it was rescued. 

Only 1 in 10,000 hedgehogs is born albino so is this a subtle way for Mother Nature to alert us that food is a scarce and much valued resource and that over-eating is contributing to environmental chaos, especially as the world’s human population continues to grow apace.

**** Do you love Hedgehogs is one of the most popular questions on my website. Thanks for visiting. You would make my day if you click on  ‘Hello from Chrissie’ http://watch.thehaymakerssurvey.com/events-hertford-castle-and-others/ before you go ****

Posted in Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

24/08/2009 by admin.

“Hedgehogs: why can’t they just share the hedge?”

The amusing question has been voted the funniest joke at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  The winning joke was by the comedian Dan Antopolski from his ‘Silent but Deadly’ performance. Its another example in our Watch relating to Hedgehogs - a way of describing Hertfordshire folk as captured in our novel.

If that wasn’t enough of a coincidence, the runner-up was a joke by Paddy Lennox about a chicken and an egg - a subject on which Malachi speculated in our novel. the joke goes: “I was watching the London Marathon and saw one runner dressed as a chicken and another runner dressed as an egg. I thought: ‘This could be interesting’.”

Environmental chaos is no laughing matter of course as the forest fires outside of Athens illustrate but we go to any lengths to make our point!  One of Sarah’s favourite jokes is “Why don’t polar bears eat penguins? Because they can’t get the wrappers off.”

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | No Comments »

14/07/2009 by admin.

In our novel the term Hedgehog is used fondly to describe Hertfordshire rural folk due to their slow and sometimes prickly manner.  It led to the rather odd question about hedgehogs in the survey, but at the time we didn’t imagine it would feature much in our Watch. 

Well, to our surprise we’ve had a number of stories relating to hedgehogs - the latest being about a little fellow named Spud! Back in March, the likeable creature was found barely alive and suffering from a skin condition that caused all his spines to fall out. 

However, under the care and support of Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital the animal’s spines have begun to reappear.  the little chappie’s bristling with good health once more. 

So we have it - a message perhaps that humanity’s response to the ecological crisis has thus far been spineless? You decide!

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | No Comments »

27/04/2009 by admin.

Our novel begins with an early reference to a ‘wind of change’ and later features a discussion about Hertfordshire folk sometimes described as hedgehogs on the assumption that they can sometimes be a little prickly - not that we’ve experienced anything of the kind.

Because of this we’re tickled by the story of a rescued hedgehog named Huff Puff that has reached some three times the size of a normal animal.  Weighing in at over 2kg (the norm is just 600g) Huff Puff has been put on a diet by staff at the Furze Pig Hedgehog Rescue Centre in Ross on Wye, Herefordshire who say the podgy hedgehog just kept “growing and growing” gorging on cat biscuits and dog food. 

 Huff Puff is thought to be the biggest hedgehog in Britain.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8021015.stm

On a serious note, perhaps this is a discreet reference to recent media coverage about the increased environmental impact of over-weight humans? Its mainly to due with the amount of food people with large waist lines tend to consume balanced against the limited capacity of our earth to feed us all.  Thanks to Huff Puff for the timely reminder. 

Posted in Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | 1 Comment »

27/05/2008 by admin.

A study by scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London shows that roads are very dangerous places for hedgehogs.  They are very poor at dealing with traffic, waiting until a vehicle is about 17m (60ft) away before responding, and even then they freeze rather than try to run away.

The trouble is that hedgehogs find roads attractive places, in part because of their small legs, but also because tarmac is warm and attracts insects - so they get a meal too.

The peril they face may help explain why numbers are down 50% in some areas.  But the ongoing use of once natural countryside for housing and other development, the tidiness of the urban garden, and the reduction of hedges across rural land may also be a factor. 

Posted in Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q27 Do you like gardening?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | No Comments »

17/04/2008 by admin.

African pygmy hedgehogs have joined the list of Britain’s most sought after pets. They are just as cute as a hamster or a guinea pig but have that added ‘wow’ factor.  Brighter in colour than their wild cousins, they are a cross between Algerian and white-bellied hedgehogs. First bred in captivity the USA about 10 years ago, they are now being sold in Britain for up to £150 each.  One breeder has a long waiting list and people prepared to travel hundreds of miles to pick one up.  However, the Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital are concerned about the trend, arguing that hedgehogs belong in the wild and don’t make good pets.   Whatever, your view - We love hedgehogs!

Posted in Q19 Do you love hedgehogs?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | 2 Comments »

18/10/2007 by admin.

In Hertfordshire, country folk used to be known as hedgehogs for their reputation as being slow and sometimes prickly. Well, funny then that a rare blond hedgehog has appeared on the scene.  Named Spike, the hedgehog suffers from a brittle bone disease.  he was brought to South essex Wildlife Hospital with a broken leg, but now three are fractured. He can never be released into the wild.  He’s so pale he’d stand out like a beacon at night to predators.  Poor Spike!

Posted in Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | Comments Off

28/08/2007 by admin.

 A HogWatch Survey has shown a decline in the number of hedgehogs in the UK; they’re down 50% in some areas.  The British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggests that tidier gardens and urbanization are to blame for the fall.  Question 19  

Posted in Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | No Comments »