Hedgehog
Rescue.
Hedgehog rescue
started in 1999 after i had finished my National Diploma in Animal Care, I
had a work placement at secret world it was there that everything
fell into place and I felt the need to try to reverse the damage we are
doing to this planet. I was also a volunteer at
I also saw a notice
that asked if people saw a small hedgehog to ring, so I did and found Val
Robinson on the other end of the line. Val was at that time a community project
organiser so she made contact with other like minded people and we set
ourselves up as a voluntary organisation each carer taking in the amount of
hedgehogs they could cope with. From this we had well established carers who
could offer advice and help to the new carers.
After 2 years the
project came to an end and I needed to fund my work so I began to
give talks which are charged for but all the money goes back into the hedgehog
pot, this pays for food, vet bills, medication, cages etc. There is also a gift
stall which we can take to talks and the profits from the merchandise also help
with funding.
Hedgehogs are just
beginning to wake up from their hibernation, this winter has been particularly
harsh but experts think this is better for hibernating animals as they do not
keep waking up and going back to sleep, when this happens they burn up the
brown fat they lay down and it is detrimental to hibernating species.
This will now start
to get busy for the carers as hedgehogs will get injured by garden machinery,
sports and garden netting, poisoned by insecticides, hit by cars, nest
disturbance, dog attacks, fall down uncovered holes and drains and trapped in
various litter that is carelessly thrown on the ground. So how can we help?
Firstly allow the hedgehog into your garden if you are free from dogs,
hedgehogs need a gap of about 20 Cm's or 4 " to allow them in, so if you
have a gate or fence then make sure there is room for the hedgehog to roam.
Make a wildlife area in your garden, leave the grass a little longer, store branch/hedge
trimmings, sweep leaves into a pile, have a pond, plant some evergreen bushes
or shrubs, this will create habitat and a food source for your prickly friend
and he is your friend because in turn he will eat you slugs, snails, beetles
etc.
As for litter teach
people why litter harms hedgehogs, hedgehogs get stuck in carrier and crisp
bags, the ice cream containers from burger shops, 4-ring plastic holders (the
ones that hold 4 tins of beer), tins and cans trap them too.
Hedgehogs are now in
decline and have for the first time ever been put on the endangered list, in 20
years it seems we have lost 7/8ths of our population of hedgehog if this trend
continues than the European hedgehog could be extinct in
If you run an
organisation from play school to W.I, Probus etc then why not arrange a talk or
visit, meet a hedgehog and spread the word.
Yvonne Cox
19 The Leaze
Yate
S. Glos
BS37 5XJ
01454 327715
07971 663009
Carer, Advisor, Speaker & Fund-Raiser for Hedgehog Rescue.