Rockstar Brian May’s legal win will prevent the clearance of up to 70 trees and extension of the supermarket onto a hedgehog habitat in Burpham in Surrey, and in a landmark U-turn, Sainsbury’s have agreed to work with May and his hedgehog charity, Amazing Grace, to ‘enhance’ habitats for this increasingly endangered species.
In July, the hedgehog was officially classified in the IUCN Red List as ‘vulnerable to extinction’. The main threat to the species is loss of habitat and numbers are in rapid decline. Amazing Grace is run by wildlife charity the Save Me Trust, founded by May after being inspired by a rescued hoglet, named Grace. The charity’s goal is to ensure that the hedgehog population can recover and once again reach sustainable levels. Following his legal win, May said: “Sainsbury’s decision is a great step towards ensuring that wild animals pushed into narrow corridors are able to survive and, more importantly, to thrive.”
May’s legal win occurs in the wake of rewilding as a solution, with much media coverage given to this by leading conservationists such as Sir David Attenborough and supported by campaigners and royalty alike, with the release of Prince William’s documentary, A Planet for Us All.
You can learn more about rewilding and how you too can support the revolution on our focused solution page here!
