The RSPB is calling on people in Cornwall to get involved in ’Giving Nature a Home’ this summer by doing at least one thing for wildlife in their Cornish garden or outdoor spaces, after new data revealed further declines in sightings of some of our most familiar and favourite garden species.

Results from the wildlife survey for Cornwall showed the number of people reporting grass snake sightings at least once a month have decreased by 30 per cent since 2014.

And only 22 per cent of people spotted a hedgehog snuffling around their garden at least once a month, 17 per cent fewer than in 2014. 

Grey squirrels remained the most common UK garden visitor for the third year running, with 76 per cent of participants spotting one scurrying across their garden at least once a month.

Morwenna Alldis, communications officer for the RSPB South West said: ’Many modern gardens may have less wild space than they used to due to decking and paving.

’Planting a garden hedge helps enormously or letting the grass grow longer in a corner of your garden. 

’Garden hedges also provide essential corridors for hedgehogs and other wildlife to safely travel from garden to garden. If you have a garden fence rather than a hedge, simply make a small hole along the bottom of the fence for hedgehogs and other small animals to use.’

The RSPB has launched a new online tool, which enables visitors to enter their postcode and create their own personal plan to give nature a home in their patch. Visit:  www.rspb.org.uk/plan