Ghost hedgehogs are appearing across Bridport and Dorset in a bid to prevent more deaths on roads.

Members of the Dorset Mammal Group have erected white hedgehog silhouettes at roadsides where there have been hedgehog deaths caused by traffic with the hopes of slowing vehicles down.

Susy Varndell, of the Dorset Mammal Group, said: “One of the biggest threats to hedgehogs today is traffic. When a hedgehog senses danger, it simply rolls up into a ball, using its prickles for defence. A hedgehog will do this when hearing traffic approach, the result is a squashed hedgehog. A research study carried out in 2016 found that around 250,000 hedgehogs are killed on roads annually in Britain.

“The Mammal Society has estimated that the hedgehog population in Britain may have declined by as much as a staggering 73 per cent in the last 20 years. Hedgehogs are now on the red list of endangered wild mammals and are categorised as vulnerable to extinction.”

In Bridport, two hedgehog death hotspots are West Allington and Sea Road North.

To date, more than 100 ghost hedgehogs have been erected across Dorset by members of the Dorset Mammal Group’s Hedgehog Friendly Towns and Villages project. This initiative was launched in August 2013 with Bridport becoming the first hedgehog friendly town in the UK. Residents were encouraged to adopt a number of hedgehog friendly activities in their gardens, including hedgehog access, not using slug pellets, leaving areas of rough ground for hedgehogs to forage, making log piles, taking extra care when using garden machinery and igniting bonfires, and offering water and food.

Susy added: “The aim of the ghost hedgehog project is to raise awareness in local human populations of hedgehog death hotspots. It is hoped that this initiative will make drivers more cautious in towns and villages, and hopefully will catch on in other counties too in order to help reduce the number of hedgehog road deaths across the country.”

Pimperne has been one of the worst hit villages with 21 hedgehog road deaths recorded last year. Portland is another place where hedgehogs have suffered terrible road deaths with 35 being recorded last year.

The Dorset Mammal Group has been fighting the hedgehog battle on many other fronts too. The group has been raising awareness by developing towns into hedgehog friendly habitats, educating the public with talks and presentations, leaflets, media articles and radio interviews.

The group heavily subsidised the training of 65 people in the Vale Wildlife Hospital course in hedgehog first aid, care and rehabilitation. As some of these carers are overwhelmed with poorly hedgehogs, the group is planning to develop a dedicated hedgehog hospital in Dorset to cope with the growing demand of referrals.

To find out more about the Dorset Mammal Group or to get involved, email hedgehogs@dorsersetmammalgroup.org.uk