Gardeners please be vigilant for nesting wildlife

Lawnmower destroys home of tiny hoglets

20.06.12

Four baby hedgehogs found themselves alone and homeless after their nest was destroyed by a lawnmower and their mother disappeared.

The tiny hoglets' nest was disturbed when long grass was cut at a property in Beach Road in Birmingham on Sunday, 10 June. It was extremely fortunate that none of the babies were injured.

Specialist care for orphaned wildlife

Inspector Susanne Bailey collected the orphaned hoglets only after it was clear their mother had left the area.

Experienced staff are now looking after the four hoglets at our Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Cheshire.

Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange, said:

The hoglets are being syringe-fed six times a day and weighed daily to ensure they are putting on weight.

We are using heat mats to provide them with warmth which is extremely important at their age.

It is sad that they are not in the wild being reared by their mother as we would like but in this instance, with the mother not returning, their only chance of survival was with expert help.

 

Concerned about a hedgehog?

Think twice, seek advice

Mother hogs and their hoglets aren't normally found out of the nest during the day and will normally only venture out at night.

There may be a problem if a hedgehog or its young are found out of the nest during the day, so it is best to seek advice if this is the case.

If a nest is disturbed it should be replaced and left alone allowing mother and hoglets time to adjust while monitoring from a distance. Tinned dog food (not fish-based) and water can be left out close to the nest but disturbing the nest again should be avoided.

Lee added:

Last year 523 hedgehogs were admitted to Stapeley and many that were brought in were thought to be orphaned.

If you come across a sick, injured or orphaned wild animal you can contact our 24-hour national cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.

Helping hedgehogs

In Britain hedgehog numbers are known to be in decline, most likely as a result of changes in their habitat and an increase in cars on the road.

The People's Trust for Endangered Species and British Hedgehog Preservation Society have joined forces to carry out a three-year project to conserve hedgehogs.

Get involved in the conservation of British hedgehogs, visit: www.hedgehogstreet.org