Do you have hedgehogs in your garden? Or do you see them on the roads as you travel Carmarthenshire? Hedgehogs are generally common in parks, gardens and farms throughout Britain and their spiny bodies make them unmistakeable. But it seems that hedgehogs are in decline,  and not as common a sight as once they once were.

Carmarthenshire County Council and the Wildlife Trust (supported by CCW grant funding) are launching a new hedgehog survey for Carmarthenshire - encouraging members of the public to report when they have seen the animals- dead or alive.

The hedgehog has recently been added to the list of priority species in the UK, with its own Biodiversity Action Plan in the revised Carmarthenshire Biodiversity Action Plan. Anecdotal evidence suggests that numbers have declined in Carmarthenshire, but our records of their distribution are relatively poor.

It is hoped that people will let the survey know when and where they have seen hedgehogs. If we can learn more about where they are found, it will help us work out what actions we need to take to conserve them.

Hedgehog sightings can be reported online at www.carmarthenshirebiodiversity.co.uk or a survey form can be requested by writing to Lizzie Wilberforce, Carmarthenshire Hedgehog Survey, Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran, Cardigan SA43 2TB.