Dunmow Probus Club met Hedgehog Heaven rescue centre founder Stephanie Callister-Jarrold at their June lunch meeting.
Hedgehog Heaven was founded in Colchester in 2007, and rescues 6,000 hedgehogs a year.
Probus Club president Alistair Leslie introduced Stephanie after lunch, and she shared alarming statistics showing that the UK hedgehog population has fallen from four million in 1950 to one million today.
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Stephanie also told members that there are 17 types of hedgehog in the UK, ranging from white to dark brown.
She ended the talk by giving the members tips on how to make their gardens safer and to feed hedgehogs with dog or cat food.
Dunmow Probus Club is a group for retired or semi-retired professional or business men.
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