Ghosts in the Hedgerow: A hedghog whodunnit

Conservationist and author of the acclaimed Elegy of a River Tom Moorhouse takes a 360-degree approach to investigating why hedgehog numbers are in freefall and what can be done to protect British wildlife. 'A necessary nature book, with prose as sharp as prickles' John Lewis-Stempel In poll after poll hedgehogs come out top as Britain's favourite mammal. And yet their numbers have been in freefall, estimated to have halved in less than twenty years. Why? Who or what is responsible for the disappearance of so many thousands of hedgehogs in recent decades? Hopeful and informative, in a story full of twists, turns and uncomfortable truths, conservationist Tom Moorhouse explores the trade-offs that exist between humans and wildlife. And, drawing on insights from other hedgehog experts, he hands readers the toolkit necessary to help bring our prickly friends back.

About the Author :
Dr Tom Moorhouse is a conservation research scientist who has worked for twenty years at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, part of Oxford University's Biology Department. His work has focussed on the conservation ecology of water voles, the management of signal crayfish, hedgehog conservation and the impacts of wildlife tourism. He is the author of Elegy for a River and also award-winning children's fiction. He lives with his wife and daughter in Oxford.

Review :
For those with an interest in endangered species, Tom Moorhouse's Ghosts in the Hedgerow: A Hedgehog Whoddunit is a caring, amiable guide to who (and what) is responsible for the worrying decline ofI this cute mammal. Tom Moorhouse is brilliant at weaving complex ecological ideas into an easily accessible and very entertaining form - Ghosts in the Hedgerow is a delight. Hedgehogs have been with us for millions of years, but they seem to be getting less abundant. How do we know, and why is it happening? These are important questions, easy to ask but very difficult to answer. That's partly because the issues are complex, research scanty and hedgehogs are surprisingly difficult to study properly. Tom has written a thorough, but very readable assessment of the challenges posed by the 20th century and what we can do to help the hapless 'Hedgie'. A wonderfully entertaining and intriguing book. The hedgehog has found its champion. Jaunty, scholarly, hugely entertaining, wise, deadly serious and downright fun ... A triumph. Any project that highlights the plight of hedgehogs is invaluable and GHOSTS IN THE HEDGEROW fulfils that task admirably. By turns hilarious and heart-breaking, Ghosts in the Hedgerow is a triumph of accessible science writing. Moorhouse rootles out all the reasons for the tragic, resistible decline of the hedgehog, perhaps the iconic mammal of our countryside. A necessary nature book, with prose as sharp as prickles.