A charity is urging those who are lighting bonfires this week to check for hedgehogs.

Sandy Moore, chair of Manx Hedgehog Conservation Society, stressed residents should not assemble their bonfire until the evening of Bonfire Night to avoid hedgehogs crawling under beforehand.

She said: ’This is around about the time that the adult hedgehogs are in search of a safe area to hibernate and are looking for a winter home.

’We ask people to, for the safety of hedgehogs and other wildlife, not build their bonfire until the day of November 5.

’They could even go into that bonfire on the evening of the fourth. They’re the perfect home - but not good when you light the bonfire.

’We ask people to gather the bits they’re going to burn and lay it flat and then build it on the date of the 5th of November because you are then protecting any hedgehogs from danger.’

Ms Moore advised that those lighting bonfires should also leave a large hole for a hedgehog to escape if necessary and light the bonfire from one side ’just in case’.

She added: ’You’ve got to remember that when hedgehogs go into hibernation mode their heartbeat drops from 90 beats a minute to 20, so if you’ve got a hedgehog that’s gone into that bonfire there is no way that hedgehog can come out of the hibernative state, it’s impossible.

’So even if you’re lighting one side of it or leaving a gap for one to get out, they can’t wake up.

’If someone does find a hedgehog under an unlit bonfire then we would ask them to access that, wear gloves to move it and phone the charity and we’ll take it from there. We can relocate it very safely and certainly save that hedgehog’s life.’

When it comes to fireworks, hedgehogs aren’t particularly disturbed by them.

Ms Moore added: ’It’s obviously all happening at night time and hedgehogs are nocturnal.

’They do have a great sense of hearing, so they will be very much aware but they won’t react like a domesticated pet. We get very few reports of hedgehogs being traumatised by bonfire night.

’Hedgehogs usually come out when it’s all over anyway.’

The population of hedgehogs in the island has been ’stabilised’ since the charity was set up in 2015.

Ms Moore said: ’When we founded the charity, we were getting reports particularly where there had been habitat disturbance.

’People were contacting me and saying "we just don’t see hedgehogs anymore", particularly in Peel and Port Erin.

’I do find that since we started the charity people are very conscious of doing something they shouldn’t.

’People are aware these animals are an important part of our ecosystem.’

There was no data for the hedgehog population when the charity was founded.

’We were quite astounded. Everything that we’ve been doing in the charity has definitely helped in stabilising the population of hedgehogs in the Isle of Man, we’re no longer in decline.’