GARDEN HAZARDS FOR HEDGEHOGS

[Nic]

IN MEMORY OF A BRAVE HEDGEHOG.

A brave little hedgehog, with a fatal injury, made his way to my garden one evening. The terrible injury was almost certainly caused by a strimmer or something similar. The wound had become infested with maggots. He was taken to the vets, but his wound was just too severe for him to survive.

Most of you on Hedgehog Street will be aware of the dangers which garden machinery and equipment can cause to hedgehogs. But for those who do not, or who are visitors to Hedgehog Street:

PLEASE take care to check for hedgehogs before using garden equipment. Check over the area gently with a soft broom, hand, or even feet. Hedgehogs natural defence is to roll up. They may not run away. If you find a hedgehog, either leave the work until another day, or move the hedgehog to somewhere safe – away from the area where you are working. You might even consider leaving the area as it is, for some habitat for the hedgehog.

If you accidentally injure a hedgehog please don’t leave it to suffer. PLEASE Get help for it. Any wound on a hedgehog is likely to, very quickly, become infested with maggots and if left, the hedgehog is likely to die a slow and painful death. Put the injured hedgehog into a box with an old towel or some torn up paper for it to hide in and get help from a local wildlife rescue or a vet as soon as possible.

Other ways to help keep hedgehogs safe in the garden:

-Check compost heaps before using a fork in them
-Do not leave netting where hedgehogs could become entangled
-Make sure there is easy access out of ponds
-Stop or reduce the amount of chemicals used
-Cover drains or deep holes
-Check there are no hedgehogs hiding underneath, before lighting bonfires

Please warn others of the dangers to hedgehogs.

[Author]

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