Hedgehogs are disappearing from many parts of the countryside.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust has reported a significant decline in hedgehog sightings, with numbers down seven per cent compared to the previous year and a 33 per cent drop since 2022.
The decline is believed to be linked to habitat loss caused by building developments.
Lydia German, senior communications officer at Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said: "By recording where you have (or even where you haven’t) seen a hedgehog, you can help us to build up a fuller picture of how the population is faring across our region.
The best thing you can do for hedgehogs is open up your garden to let them roam. They can travels several miles a night in search of food and water. Cutting a CD sized hole in your fence or gate can give the a route in and out. If you can get your neighbours to do the same then even better. There are hundreds and hundreds of square miles of gardens locked up behind fences and walls that wildlife would love to be able to have access to.
I’ve been putting food and water out for the local hedgehogs. We have had a constant stream of customers in the garden, can hear them rustling and munching overnight, and an increasing volume of food being eaten. Worried that the fence and gate (which is broken and usually - but not always - gets left open) might be obstructing their entry, I also made a hedgehog highway by cutting a bit of it away, further over away from the path. We have had instances of hedgehogs nearly been tripped over or trodden on as they have a habit of standing on the path! I’m trying to encourage them to use the hedgehog entrance to avoid that.