Hedgehog Returns to Garden After Year-Long Absence

A hedgehog has returned to a garden in Langstone, Hampshire, after a year-long absence. The garden had previously been a regular visiting spot for hedgehogs, but all visitors succumbed to road accidents the previous summer, leaving a dedicated hedgehog house empty over winter. The return was first indicated by fresh faeces found on the patio, which contained fragments of undigested insect exoskeleton, a clear sign of a hedgehog's presence. Subsequent camera trapping over several nights confirmed the return of a mature hedgehog, notable for a distinctive arrowhead-shaped marking on its rump. This reappearance offers a hopeful sign for the local hedgehog population, which had experienced a significant decline in the area due to road fatalities.