A new project is underway in Galway city this summer to identify hedgehog “hot-spots”.

“Renmore, Mervue and Rahoon all have several reports of hedgehogs every year, which would indicate that they have good hedgehog numbers. We want to look at the gardens and talk to people in these areas to learn more about how hedgehogs are using gardens and estates and how people are interacting with them.”

Elaine O’Riordan, from the School of Natural Science at University of Galway

For the Hedgehogs in the City project, the researchers are asking people from these three areas – Renmore, Mervue and Rahoon – to take part in an online survey to gather information about what kind of gardens people have and whether hedgehogs use them or not. 

The simple, short questionnaire is on the Hedgehog Survey website

The researchers would like as many people as possible to take the survey – even if you have never seen a hedgehog before. 

Later in the summer, the hedgehog team plan to visit some of the gardens and green spaces in the three areas of the city to search for hedgehogs using wildlife cameras and footprint tunnels. If anyone is interested in having their garden surveyed, they can sign up when they do the online survey.

Anyone with questions can contact Elaine O’Riordan at [email protected]