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'The West End has perfect garden habitat for hedgehogs - but they need your help'

The first training sessions for citizen scientists take place this Friday in Stirling and Glasgow.

A project to help Glasgow's hedgehogs is in need of volunteers.

Glasgow HogWatch is the first hedgehog-focused conservation project of its kind to take place in Scotland.

A team of citizen scientists is being recruited to locate hedgehogs and collect data.

 Help: citizen scientists are needed to collect hedgehog data
Help: citizen scientists are needed to collect hedgehog data

The first training sessions take place this Friday in Stirling and Glasgow.

But further training dates are planned for May when night-time surveys get under way.

Kirsty Crawford is a citizen science project officer at The Conservation Volunteers Scotland, the charity undertaking the work.

The project is funded by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

Kirsty says the West End is a good area for the mammals.

Hedgehog hotspots

"In Glasgow’s West End there is a particular hotspot for hedgehog sightings around North Kelvinside and the Glasgow Botanic Gardens.

"Residential areas across the West End have perfect garden habitat for hedgehogs.

"Make sure your gardens are connected via a hedgehog hole (simple 13cm x 13cm square cut in the fence) and leave suitable food, like tinned cat or dog food then keep an eye out to see who is visiting the garden.

"Kelvingrove Park and the Kelvin Walkway are likely to support hedgehog populations, so do keep watch and report any sightings to the Glasgow HogWatch project."

 Perfect: the West End's leafy gardens and parks are great habitat for hedgehogs
Perfect: the West End's leafy gardens and parks are great habitat for hedgehogs

Once widespread it is estimated there are now less than one million hedgehogs left in the UK - and around 310,000 in Scotland.

The population now appears to be in dramatic decline, with at least a quarter of the population lost in the last decade.

People can volunteer on the night-time safaris, submit their own sightings or become a Hedgehog Champion.

Kirsty says: “We want volunteers to help with two surveys we are doing - one in Pollok Park and other at Hogganfield Loch

“We are just looking to see firstly if the hedgehogs are there.

'Practical conservation'

“We will give full training before heading out with our powerful torches and with our equipment.

"In the field, we will be tagging the hedgehogs and taking data such as weight and sex.

“We will then make practical conservation changes which will be positive for hedgehogs such as planting more trees and creating hedgehog homes and leaf piles.

“This time next year we will return to these areas to see if our changes have made any difference in terms of population.

“Because we have tagged or marked the hedgehogs we will be able to see who is still in the area.

“We will also get primary schools involved around Glasgow. They are going to be doing surveys of their own using footprint tunnels."

* Training – Friday 26 April

Stirling: Balallan House, 24 Allan Park, FK8 2QG, 10am – 1pm.

Glasgow: Unit M1, Rosemount Business Park, 143 Charles Street, G21 2QA, 6pm -8pm.

* Surveys – Friday 3rd & 10th / 24th & 31st May 8.30pm – 1.30am (TBC)

Pollok Park – 3rd / 10th May

Hogganfield Loch – 24th / 31st May

* For more information about Glasgow HogWatch visit here. Follow on Twitter @TCVScotland or on Facebook

* You can contact the project via email glasgow@tcv.org.uk

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