A charity is urging people in Wales to become “hedgehog detectives” , with recent research showing numbers of the mammals have declined by 50 per cent over the last 25 years.

Now people are asked to undertake some sleuthing by putting a “footprint tunnel” in their garden, to help find out where hedgehogs live and in what numbers.

Statistics from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee show the once common creatures are becoming much rarer.

To get more information, a new project has been launched in Wales with funding from The Mammal Society, Wales Mammal Group and Natural Resources Wales.

The Mammal Monitoring Network (MaMoNet) Wales project needs volunteers to place a footprint tunnel in their garden, workplace or elsewhere and submit their findings on the Mammal Society website.

The data gathered will help with conservation.

Small and medium sized mammals can pass through the tunnel, attracted by food as bait, and leave their footprints as they do so.

Becky Clews-Roberts, MaMoNet Project Officer add: “September and October see an increase in hedgehog activity due to the warm, moist evenings. As nocturnal creatures these footprint tunnels are an effective, non-invasive way to find out if hedgehogs venture into your gardens at night. You may find lots of prints other than hedgehog and the fun starts as you try to identify them!”.

Footprint tunnel kits, complete with ink, instructions and pegs can be purchased from the Mammal Society or or they can be made following assembly instructions on their website.

Visit www.mammal.org.uk for more information.