A CONFERENCE to discuss the county's declining hedgehog population is set to be held this spring.

The Dorset Mammal Group, which is working on a strategy of conservation to deal with the falling numbers of hedgehogs in the county, which they will present at the Dorset Hedgehog Conference at The Dorford Centre in Dorchester on Saturday, April 4.

A spokesman said: "The Dorset Mammal Group is aiming to reverse the decline of the hedgehog population in Dorset by developing towns and villages into hedgehog friendly habitats. As hedgehogs travel around one mile every night in their quest to find enough food, and a mate, the Dorset Mammal Group is trying to make their life easier."

Susy Varndell - the DMG’s hedgehog lead - will speak at the conference to outline the six point hedgehog conservation strategy.

Others present at the conference will include ecologist Dr Nigel Reeve, who more than 40 years of experience studying hedgehogs, and wildlife photographer Colin Varndell.

Speaking to the Echo, Mr Varndell highlighted the sharp decline in the hedgehog population over the last 70 years.

He said: "The British Hedgehog Preservation Society estimated that there could have been 30 million hedgehogs in Britain. The Mammal Society last year issued their latest estimate to be 500,000.

"The two main drivers of the decline have been agriculture and road deaths."

To find out more visit dorsetmammalgroup.wordpress.com