insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 11 - January 2016 | Page 85

OUTDOORLIVING ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE The new hedgehog friendly gravelboard from Jacksons will help our prickly friends to roam from garden to garden and forage more easily, keeping off the roads. Find full details on these and all our 25 year Jakure guaranteed timber products by going to your dedicated page www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/ashfordlocal Jacksons Fencing GIVING HEDGEHOGS A HELPFUL HOLE... I think you must have been completely out of circulation recently, not to have heard about the plight of the humble hedgehog. These appealing little chaps, who are commonly considered the gardener’s friend because they feed on some of the pests in the garden, have suffered a severe decline in numbers. The current population is estimated to be around 25% down in the last decade, which may mean there is only a million or so left. So what can we do to help? We can avoid leaving netting around for them to get caught in; check carefully before strimming that there aren’t any animals that will get hurt when you let rip with the machine; and check the bonfire hasn’t become a hedgie hotel. If you have to use slug pellets, please find a wildlife-friendly version that isn’t going to harm any animals. If you are of a kind nature you could try feeding them a little cat food, and don’t forget the water. This may be caused by a reduction [