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#1
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Bonfires/ hedgehogs
The message
from "michael adams" contains these words: correction: "has" for "hasn't" third time lucky maybe "Janet Galpin" wrote in message ... When is it safe to set fire to a bonfire that's been gathering all winter without risk of it still being a home to a hedgehog? It's rather big to move. The standard advice is not before early April depending on the weather. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The best advice would probably be to poke around into the base with a long thin cane maybe with a tennis ball stuck on the end at the very least. If the bonfire is large enough, and yet not near enough to next doors garden to set fire to that, then maybe you wouldn't be creating too much of a nuisance by leaving a radio next to the heap and playing very loud music for a couple of hours before hand as well. (Not sure if this is intended to be serious or not,) " If the weather changes during hibernation, or the animal is disturbed, it will wake and may move on to build a new nest." Thanks for this detailed and interesting advice. I was intrigued by the idea of the music and might just try it. On the topic of hedgehogs, I found I think three dead hedgehogs at different times and in different parts of the garden last season with no obvious signs as to why they had died. I could only think perhaps that the neighbouring farmer had put down rat poison which the hedgehogs had taken in. I don't know whether this can be a significant cause of hedgehog deaths. Or reading the Wildlife Trust page you suggested I suppose pesticide is another dismaying possibility. Janet G |
#2
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Bonfires/ hedgehogs
"Janet Galpin" wrote in message ... On the topic of hedgehogs, I found I think three dead hedgehogs at different times and in different parts of the garden last season with no obvious signs as to why they had died. I could only think perhaps that the neighbouring farmer had put down rat poison which the hedgehogs had taken in. I don't know whether this can be a significant cause of hedgehog deaths. Or reading the Wildlife Trust page you suggested I suppose pesticide is another dismaying possibility. Janet G One feature of hedgehogs is that they really are the end of their own particular food chain. While many of the things they eat, beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails are the sorts of things humans are already trying to poison. Either deliberately or maybe through not being able to be sufficiently selective. So maybe these hedgehogs in their turn, came across dead slugs or beetles etc. and rather than posting their experiences on UseNet as you did, they eat them instead, with the resulting dire consequences. While going in the other direction, given that there are no carrion in the UK - vultures etc. not so far as I know at least - coupled with the hedgehog's spiny coat, may mean that their remains may sit around on the surface for a relatively long time. The website gives them an average lifespan in the wild of just two years. And so your finds may be unexceptional. Just that they happened to die there, than somewhere else. It also suggests that there may have been a growth in the local population, maybe. While given that they had no predators at all until the arrival of the motor car and the use of pesticides, the only limit to their reproduction - given their ability to hibernate presumably must have been scarcity of food. So that prior to the arrival of the motor car and pesticides, there were presumably many more hedgehogs around than there are today - but correspondingly far fewer slugs and snails. michael adams .... http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/facts/hedge.htm |
#3
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Bonfires/ hedgehogs
On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:58:28 -0000, "michael adams"
wrote: "Janet Galpin" wrote in message ... On the topic of hedgehogs, I found I think three dead hedgehogs at different times and in different parts of the garden last season with no obvious signs as to why they had died. I could only think perhaps that the neighbouring farmer had put down rat poison which the hedgehogs had taken in. I don't know whether this can be a significant cause of hedgehog deaths. Or reading the Wildlife Trust page you suggested I suppose pesticide is another dismaying possibility. Janet G One feature of hedgehogs is that they really are the end of their own particular food chain. While many of the things they eat, beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails are the sorts of things humans are already trying to poison. Either deliberately or maybe through not being able to be sufficiently selective. So maybe these hedgehogs in their turn, came across dead slugs or beetles etc. and rather than posting their experiences on UseNet as you did, they eat them instead, with the resulting dire consequences. While going in the other direction, given that there are no carrion in the UK - vultures etc. not so far as I know at least - coupled with the hedgehog's spiny coat, may mean that their remains may sit around on the surface for a relatively long time. The website gives them an average lifespan in the wild of just two years. And so your finds may be unexceptional. Just that they happened to die there, than somewhere else. It also suggests that there may have been a growth in the local population, maybe. While given that they had no predators at all until the arrival of the motor car and the use of pesticides, the only limit to their reproduction - given their ability to hibernate presumably must have been scarcity of food. So that prior to the arrival of the motor car and pesticides, there were presumably many more hedgehogs around than there are today - but correspondingly far fewer slugs and snails. michael adams "Gypsies eat them covered in mud, y'know" How many times have I heard that yet have yet to meet anyone who has eaten one. Maybe they died (( |
#4
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Bonfires/ hedgehogs
"Dave the exTrailer" wrote in message ... On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:58:28 -0000, "michael adams" wrote: "Janet Galpin" wrote in message ... On the topic of hedgehogs, I found I think three dead hedgehogs at different times and in different parts of the garden last season with no obvious signs as to why they had died. I could only think perhaps that the neighbouring farmer had put down rat poison which the hedgehogs had taken in. I don't know whether this can be a significant cause of hedgehog deaths. Or reading the Wildlife Trust page you suggested I suppose pesticide is another dismaying possibility. Janet G One feature of hedgehogs is that they really are the end of their own particular food chain. While many of the things they eat, beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails are the sorts of things humans are already trying to poison. Either deliberately or maybe through not being able to be sufficiently selective. So maybe these hedgehogs in their turn, came across dead slugs or beetles etc. and rather than posting their experiences on UseNet as you did, they eat them instead, with the resulting dire consequences. While going in the other direction, given that there are no carrion in the UK - vultures etc. not so far as I know at least - coupled with the hedgehog's spiny coat, may mean that their remains may sit around on the surface for a relatively long time. The website gives them an average lifespan in the wild of just two years. And so your finds may be unexceptional. Just that they happened to die there, than somewhere else. It also suggests that there may have been a growth in the local population, maybe. While given that they had no predators at all until the arrival of the motor car and the use of pesticides, the only limit to their reproduction - given their ability to hibernate presumably must have been scarcity of food. So that prior to the arrival of the motor car and pesticides, there were presumably many more hedgehogs around than there are today - but correspondingly far fewer slugs and snails. michael adams "Gypsies eat them covered in mud, y'know" More hedgehog stuff including illuminated manuscript and medieaval carving plus cooking method on here - http://hedgehogcentral.com/myths.shtml spoiler to hedgehog cooking method spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler The hedgehog is covered in clay then this hardens during cooking - and enables the skin and spines to be removed all in one. Although whether the animal is dressed - giblets removed, prior to cooking dunno. Not an urban myth anyway. michael adams .... How many times have I heard that yet have yet to meet anyone who has eaten one. Maybe they died (( |
#5
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Bonfires/ hedgehogs
"michael adams" wrote in message ... "Janet Galpin" wrote in message ... On the topic of hedgehogs, I found I think three dead hedgehogs at different times and in different parts of the garden last season with no obvious signs as to why they had died. I could only think perhaps that the neighbouring farmer had put down rat poison which the hedgehogs had taken in. I don't know whether this can be a significant cause of hedgehog deaths. Or reading the Wildlife Trust page you suggested I suppose pesticide is another dismaying possibility. Janet G One feature of hedgehogs is that they really are the end of their own particular food chain. While many of the things they eat, beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails are the sorts of things humans are already trying to poison. Either deliberately or maybe through not being able to be sufficiently selective. So maybe these hedgehogs in their turn, came across dead slugs or beetles etc. and rather than posting their experiences on UseNet as you did, they eat them instead, with the resulting dire consequences. While going in the other direction, given that there are no carrion in the UK - vultures etc. not so far as I know at least - coupled with the hedgehog's spiny coat, may mean that their remains may sit around on the surface for a relatively long time. The website gives them an average lifespan in the wild of just two years. And so your finds may be unexceptional. Just that they happened to die there, than somewhere else. It also suggests that there may have been a growth in the local population, maybe. While given that they had no predators at all until the arrival of the motor car and the use of pesticides, the only limit to their reproduction - given their ability to hibernate presumably must have been scarcity of food. So that prior to the arrival of the motor car and pesticides, there were presumably many more hedgehogs around than there are today - but correspondingly far fewer slugs and snails. Don't think it's valid to assume hedgehogs in the UK had no predators prior to the arrival of the car and pesticides (which strictly speaking aren't predators, although they are causes of death) because natural predators, e.g. badgers and foxes have been around far longer than that. Badgers can and do kill and eat adult hedgehogs, regardless of spines, and foxes are significant predators of immature hedgehogs, and, according to reports, a few adult ones. When the fox population of Bristol fell following the mange outbreak, the hedgehog population was observed to increase. IIRC, land's hedgehog 'carrying capacity' was found (by a team led by Dr Doncaster, Southampton University) to be more or less proportional to its earthworm population. Just the sort of 'main course' favoured by badgers, too. I believe the increase in the badger population, which resulted from its protection, and the increase in urban fox populations have probably been detrimental to hedgehog numbers, just as have RTAs, poisonings, drownings in cattle grids and steep sided pools, starvation due to hogs getting their heads caught in carelessly discarded food containers, careless strimming of vegetation concealing a hedgehog, the accidental burning of hedgehogs in bonfires, etc. It's amazing they have managed to survive at all, given the hazards they face. |
#6
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Bonfires/ hedgehogs
"BAC" wrote in message ... "michael adams" wrote in message ... "Janet Galpin" wrote in message ... On the topic of hedgehogs, I found I think three dead hedgehogs at different times and in different parts of the garden last season with no obvious signs as to why they had died. I could only think perhaps that the neighbouring farmer had put down rat poison which the hedgehogs had taken in. I don't know whether this can be a significant cause of hedgehog deaths. Or reading the Wildlife Trust page you suggested I suppose pesticide is another dismaying possibility. Janet G One feature of hedgehogs is that they really are the end of their own particular food chain. While many of the things they eat, beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails are the sorts of things humans are already trying to poison. Either deliberately or maybe through not being able to be sufficiently selective. So maybe these hedgehogs in their turn, came across dead slugs or beetles etc. and rather than posting their experiences on UseNet as you did, they eat them instead, with the resulting dire consequences. While going in the other direction, given that there are no carrion in the UK - vultures etc. not so far as I know at least - coupled with the hedgehog's spiny coat, may mean that their remains may sit around on the surface for a relatively long time. The website gives them an average lifespan in the wild of just two years. And so your finds may be unexceptional. Just that they happened to die there, than somewhere else. It also suggests that there may have been a growth in the local population, maybe. While given that they had no predators at all until the arrival of the motor car and the use of pesticides, the only limit to their reproduction - given their ability to hibernate presumably must have been scarcity of food. So that prior to the arrival of the motor car and pesticides, there were presumably many more hedgehogs around than there are today - but correspondingly far fewer slugs and snails. Don't think it's valid to assume hedgehogs in the UK had no predators prior to the arrival of the car and pesticides (which strictly speaking aren't predators, although they are causes of death) Indeed I was thinking of putting it in Inverted commas. Except that .... Predation - The action of plundering or pillaging; depredation; rapacious or exploitative behaviour. --------------------------------------------------------- Excerpted from Oxford Talking Dictionary Copyright © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. quote Its the unconscious exploitative element that makes it even worse IMO. michael adams .... because natural predators, e.g. badgers and foxes have been around far longer than that. Badgers can and do kill and eat adult hedgehogs, regardless of spines, and foxes are significant predators of immature hedgehogs, and, according to reports, a few adult ones. When the fox population of Bristol fell following the mange outbreak, the hedgehog population was observed to increase. IIRC, land's hedgehog 'carrying capacity' was found (by a team led by Dr Doncaster, Southampton University) to be more or less proportional to its earthworm population. Just the sort of 'main course' favoured by badgers, too. I believe the increase in the badger population, which resulted from its protection, and the increase in urban fox populations have probably been detrimental to hedgehog numbers, just as have RTAs, poisonings, drownings in cattle grids and steep sided pools, starvation due to hogs getting their heads caught in carelessly discarded food containers, careless strimming of vegetation concealing a hedgehog, the accidental burning of hedgehogs in bonfires, etc. It's amazing they have managed to survive at all, given the hazards they face. |
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