Keeping hedgehogs safe on Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night is the next seasonal event on the agenda, and for gardeners and non-gardeners alike, it’s the perfect way to spend time connecting with others outdoors. It’s the epitome of a cosy autumnal evening – friends and family gathered around the fire, sparklers lit and fireworks dancing above.

Celebrating in nature’s territory can impact wildlife, though – especially hedgehogs, who enjoy a log pile as much as we do, albeit for lodging rather than lighting. Luckily, by making simple changes to the way you prepare, you can save these creatures from harm.

Choosing the right location

Never build a bonfire on top of leaf piles or other debris, where hedgehogs might already be hiding. The same goes for materials around the bonfire: don’t build it close to any shrubs, bushes or piles of debris. Instead, make sure the foundation is a clear, open space on the ground.

Make it fresh

If you can, build your bonfire on the day you intend to light it. Hedgehogs can travel several kilometres per night, so even stacking your logs the evening before can mean they’re inhabited by hedgehogs by the time you come to set it alight.

Keep out

If you do need to build the bonfire before the day you light it, put some chicken wire or an alternative barrier around the bottom perimeter of the pile to stop hedgehogs from entering and nesting in the pile.

Relocation

Shuffle the bonfire forwards or backwards a few metres just before you light it to warn away any critters you might have missed during your search.

Final checks

Have a good look inside the bonfire before you get the matches out, using a torch for maximum visibility. You can have a poke around the branches and logs, but use something that isn’t sharp, like a broom. Check the entire pile for any signs of life – while this blog post focuses on hedgehogs, other amphibians and reptiles like to hide out in these structures, too, so make sure you thoroughly inspect the pile. Hedgehogs are well-hidden when in their nests, so look out for these, and also listen out for a hissing sound, which hedgehogs sometimes make when they have been disturbed.

Light it right

Never light a bonfire from the middle. Instead, set fire to one corner to allow any remaining critters the chance to escape before the whole pile goes up in flames.

But what if I do find a hedgehog?

Wearing gloves, carefully pick the hedgehog up, along with its nesting material, and move it into a cardboard box with high sides. You might like to add newspaper, cat or dog food and water for maximum comfort. Release the hedgehog once the fires have burnt out and have been dampened down and the area is safe.

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