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Charities across the UK are working together to create a big plan to help hedgehogs.

The strategy has been created after a report showed rural hedgehog numbers - that's how many hedgehogs are living in the countryside - have massively declined since 2000.

Charities involved in the plan include the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People's Trust for Endangered Species.

It involves plans to protect hedgehog habitats, which have also been in decline for the past few years.

Why are hedgehogs in danger?

Over the past few years, hedgehog numbers have been going down in the UK.

The Hedgehog Preservation Society has pointed out six key threats. This includes a reduction in how much food hedgehogs can access due to having fewer places to live.

Hedgehogs thrive in woodland and grassy places, with plenty of plants to use for nests and food.

They are put under stress from interactions with humans, like noisy roads or housing developments.

They are also threatened by something called 'genetic isolation'. This means there aren't enough varieties of hedgehogs to keep the species going.

What's being done to help them?

The new plan hopes to encourage charities, government organisations and schools to help look after hedgehogs.

There are lots of different ways that groups can help hedgehogs. For example, a conservation charity could make sure natural spaces in an area are looked after, so hedgehogs have a good habitat to live in.

Government organisations could raise awareness about hedgehogs for members of the public, and also have rules around what buildings can be put up where to reduce human interaction with hedgehogs.

The new strategy - which was released this week - encourages organisations to get involved and help protect the UK's hedgehog population.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society said it was a "real moment for hedgehog conservation, as we look ahead to another decade where together we can make real change".

"By 2034, I hope the future for our hedgehogs is significantly brighter".

Is there anything the public can do?

Although this new plan is all about big organisations helping out our spiky friends, they've advised some ways you can get involved to help hedgehogs too.

If you live somewhere with a garden, you could create a 'hedgehog highway' by making a small hole in your fence that a hedgehog can fit through.

This means they would have more access to local nature and land, so there's more to eat and more places to live. Hedgehog highways have been really beneficial to population numbers in some places in the UK - like this hedgehog haven in Nottinghamshire.

However, make sure you ask an adult before you start making any holes in a fence!

You can also ask your parent or guardian if you can get involved and volunteer with local nature charities too.