Any hedgehog out in the daytime is likely to be in trouble and should be picked up and safely contained in a cat basket or stout, high-sided box. Do this even before you phone for advice, otherwise it’s very likely, when you return to pick the animal up, that it will have disappeared. Phone the Helpline 01892 543213 for advice and assistance.
The hedgehog is probably the nation’s favourite mammal, but they are now in serious decline.
Hedgehogs have always lived in close proximity to humans and are far more common in villages and towns than they are in the countryside. In consequence, they are very vulnerable to being killed and injured man-made accidents.
One of the most common remarks we hear at Folly Wildlife Rescue is "we used to see a lot of hedgehogs in our garden, but not anymore". Sadly, this seems to be increasingly the case. Former strongholds are now completely devoid of hedgehogs and remaining populations elsewhere are often small, isolated pockets that are extremely vulnerable to further depletions.
In a typical year we admit some 500 hedgehogs to the centre, the majority of which have been injured in some way: entanglement in discarded garden or games netting, injury by garden machinery, poisoning by pesticides and herbicides, road traffic accidents, burning in bonfires, being stuck down drains, falling into steep-sided ponds and pools or attack by domestic dogs, are just a few of the more common examples.
One of the many young hoggies through our doors. This one was found wandering around outside in broad daylight (a sure sign of something being wrong) and has the snuffles, poor little thing. This little one was given five-star care in a warm cosy incubator.
More significantly, hedgehog habitats are now under increasing threat: new housing developments, the modern trend of fencing gardens with closeboard fences, the increasing use of chemical pesticides and over-tidy gardens, are all contributing to their decline.
But a more sinister development now seems to be at work. In recent years, many centres working with hedgehogs have reported the admission of large numbers of small animals,that, having been born very late in the season (sometimes in October) have not had sufficient time to accumulate the fat reserves needed for hibernation. Once the cold weather arrives, they quickly succumb and are often found wandering around in the daytime, searching for food; most by this time are in very poor condition.
Ideally, a hedgehog should weigh 500-600gms at the start of winter, but many of these late-born animals (often termed 'autumn juveniles') are under 200gms. This could well be a direct result of climate change, which combined with the poor, wet summers we have been experiencing, could now be affecting the hedgehog's breeding pattern.
Reports in recent years by the Mammal Society and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggest that unless something is done soon, the hedgehog, it could be heading for extinction in the UK within 20 years.
Ideally, a hedgehog should weigh 500-600gms at the start of winter, but many of these late-born animals (often termed 'autumn juveniles') are under 200gms. This could well be a direct result of climate change, which combined with the poor, wet summers we have been experiencing, could now be affecting the hedgehog's breeding pattern.
Reports in recent years by the Mammal Society and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society suggest that unless something is done soon, the hedgehog, it could be heading for extinction in the UK within 20 years.
As well as the injuries hedgehogs suffer at the hand of man, they are also susceptible to a number of ailments and illnesses. Chief amongst these is lungworm (which is often seen in the young autumn juvenile animals mentioned above) but if caught in time, it can be treated, as can two other common diseases, ringworm and sarcoptic mange.
All hedgehogs admitted to Folly Wildlife Rescue are given reference numbers so that after treatment they can be returned to where they came from.
An adult hedgehog being treated for mange. His spikes are beginning to grow back and as well as medication he also has regular oily baths to ease his flaky skin.
Remember, any hedgehog out in the day is likely to be in trouble and needs checking. If you come across a small hedgehog in the autumn/winter, even at night, it’s worth popping it on the scales to check its weight and phoning that through to us.
Call the Helpline 01892 543213 for advice.
If you are lucky enough to have hedgehogs in your garden and want to do your bit to help them, the following points are worth considering:
We are frequently contacted by well-meaning people who wish to ‘adopt’ or give a home to a disabled hedgehog, to help keep the slugs down in their gardens. In the past we did experiment with this but unfortunately it never worked.
Disabled hedgehogs need to have regular health checks and the walled and ‘hedgehog-proof’ gardens we put them in never held them for long, so we stopped many years ago.
If there are hedgehogs in the area, you can encourage them to visit you by providing a suitable hedgehog habitat (i.e. nice and wild) but if you never see them, then they have either died out or there is another reason for their absence, such as a busy road or badger sett nearby.
If you want to learn more about hedgehogs and their surroundings, contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk or Hedgehog Street www.hedgehogstreet.org.
The photo doesn't show the full extent but this poor female was pulled from a burning fire. She was placed on pain relief, antibiotic cover and wound management. She was also enjoying tucking in to her scrambled eggs while recovering. A very lucky girl.
You can make a secure online donation via our CAF page.
Click on the button below and a new page will open with a variety of options with which to pay online.
Your kind and generous donation will directly help injured wildlife.
It is easy to set up a regular standing order by clicking the CAF image below. You will be taken to The Southern Wildlife Care and Advisory Trust's page on the CAF website where it will take just a few easy steps to set up a standing order by direct debit.
easyfundraising.org.uk is a great way to raise money for Folly Wildlife Rescue just by shopping online. You don’t pay anything extra.
All you need to do is use click on the banner below to use our easyfundraising portal. Every time make a purchase from your favourite online retailers using the link below Folly Wildlife Rescue will receive a small payment, with no extra cost to you.
With the endless stream of wildlife casualties brought in to Folly Wildlife Rescue we are continually looking for stocks of essential items to aid recovery. With the introduction of our new nursery we will be able to cater for even more little babies, and with that comes more expense and that is where you, our supporters, may be able to help.
Our Amazon Wish List is updated frequently with all the essential items we needr. Your support is absolutely invaluable to us and every item purchased is a vital saving for our charity.
An adoption pack makes a great gift for a birthday or Christmas (or you can always treat yourself!) and is a very practical way to help hedgehogs in distress.
As well as illnesses and injuries the species is now seriously threatened by loss of habitat and housing developments, increased road traffic and unsympathetic farming practices
The History Of Folly - 1987 To 2012
The History Of Folly - 2012 To Present
Patrons Of Folly Wildlife Rescue
Founders Of The Wildlife Centre Project
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The Broadwater Forest Wildlife Hospital
Fairview Lane
Broadwater Forest
Tunbridge Wells,TN3 9LU
Tel: 01892 543213
Registered Charity No. 1091857
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