THE University of York has received a 'Gold' award from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society for having a hedgehog friendly campus.

The recognition follows three years work by staff and students, who installed feeding stations and surveyed and rescued injured animals.

They also raised awareness of how people can help hedgehogs by staging an awareness day on campus, along installing hedgehog shelters, which were monitored and stocked with food.

The society estimates hedgehog numbers have halved since 2000 and they are threatened with extinction. The university is one of 13 across the UK to gain Gold status in 2022.

Gordon Eastham, Grounds and Ecology Manager at the University, said staff and students had worked hard to achieve the gold status, in particular colleagues Karen Stilgoe, Angie Hudson, Sean Richards and Chris Sockett.

He recalled seeing many hedgehogs growing up in the countryside but was suprised and dismayed when a student said he had never seen any on campus.

Professor Nia Bryant, who initiated the project on campus and is based at the Department of Biology said: “This has been a very rewarding project, working with different groups across the University has shown how we can work together to make a big difference to the plight of this much-loved species – I’ve had great feedback from the wider community about our work too.”

Jo Wilkinson, from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society said: “The university has shown huge dedication and passion for helping hedgehogs and other wildlife through the Hedgehog Friendly Campus programme, which is funded and accredited by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

“We want to take this moment to thank all of the volunteers at the University who have taken part over the last three years. With hedgehogs now vulnerable to extinction in Britain, your help is more important than ever.”