A spiky sighting in Kyalami
KYALAMI - Some stunning images of cute hedgehogs have been captured on the project’s field cameras.
The conservancy is a peri-urban area located between Pretoria and Johannesburg. The large open spaces promote a healthy outdoor lifestyle, and while Kyalami is the centre for equestrian activities in South Africa, it also hosts a variety of species.
“I was thrilled to finally find one of these cute mammals in the wild, I have been recording different wildlife in the conservancy area for almost three years now, and this is my first sighting of this species,” said Tyrone Mckendry of the Greater Kyalami Conservancy’s Biodiversity Project.
Most of the hedgehog sightings in the conservancy are made by residents who either find them in their gardens at night, or when their dogs find them, he went on to say. However delighted by the hedgehog sighting, he contacted Jess Light an MSc Honours Zoology Student at the University of the Witwatersrand and member of the I Found A Hedgehog research programme.
The aim of the programme is to record where hedgehogs can be found in southern Africa. Researchers collect sighting records which will be used to assess bio-diversity statistics.
Light said, “The Kyalami Conservancy has many areas covered in natural vegetation and limited interference from people, the hedgehog presence is also linked to the timing of development.”
Hedgehogs are very sensitive to predators, often killed by cats, dogs and even eaten by people, said Light.
Mckendry added that hedgehogs used to be a common sight in the area but there have been fewer each year. He agreed that an increase in infrastructure and urbanisation in the area could be the reason. The conservancy has only recently become developed and hedgehogs are still present.
The sighting of a hedgehog in the Kyalami area most likely indicates that there are still some areas with little to no disturbance from people and pets, Light went on to say.
Both Light and Mckendry are hopeful the hedgehogs will continue to be present in the conservancy. Mckendry would like the public to come forth if any of these adorable mammals are spotted.
In April this year, Kyalami residents took to the open fields in Kyalami to search for hedgehogs as reported in the story on Fourways Review’s website, Hedgehog search on the highveld.
Details: biodiversity@gekco.co.za
Read our previous story here:
Hedgehog search on the highveld
