Charlotte Elizabeth Diana might never meet a hedgehog

Hedgehogs are a familiar — and welcome — sight in British gardens.

The inspiration for Beatrix Potter’s children's book “The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle” is a friendly and efficient pest controller, and many people have a deep affection for the adorable animal.  

But that might not be the case for much longer.

The West European hedgehog, Britain’s only spiny mammal, is heading toward extinction at the same pace as the tiger. But instead of gun-wielding poachers, the hedgehog's main predator is urban infrastructure such as fences and roads.

The hedgehog population is estimated to have dropped by roughly a third since 2002 and hedgehog defenders calculate there are now fewer than one million of the cute creatures snuffling around the country’s gardens, parks and fields.

But rather than curl up in a ball, like this little guy, hedgehog activists are going on the offensive.

They're using Hedgehog Awareness Week, which began Sunday, to urge British gardeners to do their bit to help their much-loved native animal.

“There is so much the gardener can do to help hedgehogs, and with hedgehog numbers in decline it is more important now than ever,” said Fay Vass, chief executive of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

One of the main reasons for the rapid decline in hedgehog numbers is impenetrable fences, which have split up populations and stopped the animals from roaming freely — we're talking in the vicinity of two miles a night.

The solution to this problem is easy. Hedgehog groups are calling on gardeners to make a five-square-inch gap in their fences to allow hedgehogs to wander from garden to garden in search of food and a breeding mate.

Like this one.

People are also being encouraged to check their gardens for hedgehogs before using a potentially deadly pitchfork or mower, and stop using pesticides and poisons to protect.

The reward for gardeners will be more of these cute critters in their backyard. And who wouldn't want that?