A huge rise in sick hedgehogs is putting strain on the RSPCA.
As of 11 November, more than 2,000 hedgehogs had been rescued and cared for by the animal charity’s hubs in Somerset, Cheshire, Norfolk and East Sussex.
And fears are growing that many more will need nursing in the lead-up to Christmas, as reported by What’s The Jam.
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In just September and October, a whopping 659 hedgehogs were admitted to centres, compared to 545 during this period last year.
In 2023, 1,928 were admitted across the whole year.
Dr Rebecca Machin, a wildlife expert at the charity, said: “We’re experiencing an unusually high number of hedgehog admissions this year.
“We’ve lost around a third of our native hedgehog population in the last 50 years due to habitat loss, fragmentation, road dangers and garden hazards.
“Our wildlife centre staff work very hard to care for these hedgehogs, which may require hand feeding, rehydration, and veterinary treatments before they can safely return to the wild.
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“Once hedgehogs are healthy enough, our wildlife centre staff wait for a spell of relatively good weather, and for any fireworks celebrations to pass, before releasing them into the wild.”
The British public is playing its part too, with 77% of admissions coming directly from local residents.
And in light of the surge, the RSCPA has offered advice on caring for wild animals.
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The charity said people should continue to feed hedgehogs in their gardens and leave them be unless they look injured or unwell.
If an adult animal looks bigger than an apple and is only seen just a night, it should be right as rain.
If there is obvious injury, they seem tired or walk in circles, are uninterested in food, or are covered in fly eggs, maggots or ticks, they may need further help.
There is more information on the RSPCA’s website.
Rebecca added: “We’re so grateful to all the animal lovers who have rescued sick or injured hedgehogs and brought them to our own wildlife centres, or to other centres or vets.
“It’s a huge help to us and to every hedgehog as they prepare for the winter.”
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