Hartpury has received Bronze Accreditation by the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Awards 2021/22. The UK-wide award scheme funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) recognises the hard work of staff and students to apply hedgehog-friendly actions across campus.
The national programme recognises and awards UK primary schools, colleges and universities that modify their campuses to improve overall habitability for European Hedgehogs and help combat the declining hedgehog populations.
Students got involved in surveys, a talk to a local primary school and regular meetings to discuss how the campus could be made more hedgehog friendly. The grounds team participated in an awareness-raising session and social media accounts were set up to help promote the work of the group.
Dr Lucy Bearman-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Zoology, Programme Manager for BSc (Hons) Zoology and resident hedgehog expert at Hartpury University, said: “Hedgehogs are classified as vulnerable to extinction in the UK according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) framework, due to a decline in the availability of food and increased interaction with man-made hazards like cars and pesticides. This increases the urgency for us to act in any we can, whether across educational campuses and businesses or in our own gardens at home.
“We’re thrilled to have received Bronze Accreditation, recognising the work and enthusiasm of our students and staff to make Hartpury a haven for these incredible creatures. We’ll now bolster our efforts to target Silver Accreditation while continuing research and raising awareness around hedgehog conservation. The project has really inspired the students and given an ideal opportunity to develop a wide range of skills whilst learning more about the nation’s favourite mammal.”
Lucy has worked on several research projects relating to hedgehogs in recent years. In 2019, she teamed up with the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and the BHPS to work with a springer spaniel called Henry, exploring how dogs can be used to sniff out hedgehogs in land development projects and move them out of harm’s way.
Last year, Lucy and Henry made a guest appearance on The One Show. Millions of BBC viewers tuned in to see the footage of Henry sniffing out hedgehogs for conservation purposes with his amazing sense of smell, while Lucy explained the importance of finding and moving hedgehogs to safe new homes before the land is redeveloped. If you’re inspired to make changes in your own garden to help protect hedgehogs, check out this advice and tips article, produced by Lucy.
Hedgehog Awareness Week takes place in the UK from 1-7 May 2022.
Hartpury University’s BSc (Hons) Zoology explores how animals evolve, interact and function, how human activity affects animal populations, and how zoos contribute to conservation.
Two new animal postgraduate degrees have been added for 2022; MRes Animal Science and MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare, further underlining the institution’s commitment to research and innovation.
Hartpury University has ranked in the top 15% of all UK universities for Teaching Quality and top 25% for Student Experience in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. Hartpury University was ranked number one in the UK for student satisfaction by full-time postgraduate students in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2021.
