HEDGEHOGS once roamed the earth in the company of dinosaurs say the experts, but in 2003 life is much more hazardous for these prickly little creatures, writes Jean Kingdon.

Now they cope with killer traffic, dangerous rubbish especially plastic cartons, and their natural predator, the hefty badger.

The intended killing of 5,000 hedgehogs by Scottish Natural Heritage on the island of Uist (see page ...) is yet another problem.

So, if they could talk, like Beatrix Potter's Mrs Tiggywinkle, then 'Erinaceus europaeus' would surely say a big thank you to the 11,000 members of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

Major Adrian Coles of Knowbury near Ludlow, currently chairman of Shropshire County Council, founded the Society in 1982. He discovered a hedgehog trapped in the pit beneath a cattle grid and without any form of escape.

He realised that without food or water the animal would die and so campaigned to have the county council install escape ramps in all its cattle grids. The ensuing publicity aroused so much interest that Major Coles went on to found the BHPS.

A registered charity, the Society advises the public on the care of hedgehogs, fosters an interest in the animals among children and funds serious hedgehog research.

Chief executive Fay Vass controls a network of about 500 "carers" throughout Britain. They liaise with local vets and look after orphaned baby hedgehogs - "hoglets"- and injured adults.

"Sadly numbers are dropping," says Fay. "A study on road deaths showed that in some areas an estimated 50 per cent of the known hedgehog population can die in one year. Our carers also report fewer being found."

But to know hedgehogs is to love them, just ask carer, Ann Jenkins of Greete.

"They are resilient little creatures. They've been around for some 50 million years. They have very poor eyesight but excellent hearing. If you sit out late on a summer evening you are very likely to see one. You will certainly hear it, they snuffle about and are noisy for such small animals. They can be a bit smelly too."

At present Ann is looking after a hoglet that weighed a mere 30 grams when found.

"She was a tiny orphan when the vet sent her over. We feed her on goat's milk. Don't ever give them cow's milk, they don't like it at all. Adults will eat tinned cat or dog food."

Sentimentality is definitely out when it comes to nursing hoglets, says Ann.

" I don't give them names. It's silly when you don't know how long they will survive once returned to the wild. If you want to track them then just put a dab of non-toxic paint on one corner of their spines. You will know then if the same one comes back to your garden."

Other Society advice includes putting out water during droughts, looking under bonfires for sleeping hedgehogs and taking care when driving on country roads in spring - that's when the hedgehogs wake from hibernation.

If you do wish to join the BHPS then call Fay Vass on 01584 890801, write to the BHPS at Hedgehog House, Dhustone, Ludlow SY8 3PL, or log on to www.software-technics.com/bhps.