Spring is making way for summer and if the weather would just play along all would be well with the world…even if we just pretend! Mother Nature sensibly designed most animals to have their young around this time, so the new, immature bodies don’t have to deal with too much inclement weather. As we humans spread out there are times when we cross paths more often with wild animals, that wouldn’t have happened years ago. This can sometimes lead to something special for us humans, and in the very lucky cases the animals too. However, there are times when our well meaning intrusion can have devastating effects on the animals.
Woodlands Animal Sanctuary work extremely hard to help preserve the endangered hedgehog species. As more people become educated to the plight of these prickly critters, they are often noticed more. This can be really life saving for them and in most cases is lovely to see. If you would like to find out more about hedgehogs, their signs of distress to look out for and how best to help them, visit the Sanctuary’s website www.woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk to find out more.
However, at this time of year, baby hoglets are being born, and their journey to adulthood can be full of pot holes, not least because hedgehogs are notoriously poor mothers! With this in mind, it is very important to remember that if you do find baby hedgehogs, or disturb a nest, sometimes the best course of action can be to do nothing at all! If a mother hedgehog senses or smells that her nest has been disturbed, she will at best abandon the nest and babies and worst eat her young. Therefore, if you do unfortunately find a nest, or baby hoglets, unless they are in obvious and imminent danger, or distress, please leave them alone. Woodlands would advise anyone who does find a hoglet or hoglets, to phone them for advice immediately, on 01704 823293 before going anywhere near them.
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