PRESS RELEASE

2001/02

 

October 29, 2001

 

GUY FAWKES’ HERITAGE IS BAD NEWS FOR HEDGEHOGS

 

For one of Britain’s best-loved mammals, the news that November 5^th is just around the corner is anything but welcome.

 

The European hedgehog, a largely nocturnal animal which thrives on slugs and snails but is never averse to an offering of dog or cat food (no bread soaked in cow’s milk, please), is generally looking for somewhere warm and secure as a hibernation refuge at this time of year.

 

The perfect “des res” is a pile of fallen leaves and branches, under which the hedgehog can curl into a tight, spiny ball, and sleep away the coldest days of winter. And, of course, there is nothing so attractive as a classic Guy Fawkes Night bonfire.

 

So if you are planning to celebrate at the weekend, what are the simple precautions that should be taken to prevent your local hedgehogs becoming unnecessary casualties?

 

The Wildlife Information Network (WIN), a charity providing information on the health and management of wild animals, recommends the following steps:

 

• Don’t pile the bonfire materials where you are planning to have the fire. Keep them a good distance away from the fire site to let them dry out and move them to the bonfire position as late as possible.

 

• If you don’t have an alternative, cut a slit trench with a sharp spade around the planned perimeter of the bonfire and slot a circle of chicken wire or similar barrier into the ground, to prevent hedgehogs gaining access to the base of the bonfire.

 

• As a last resort, always double-check the bonfire before setting light to it, using a torch to light up the base of the structure and help you spot a hedgehog.

 

“The unusually warm weather we’ve had this autumn means that more hedgehogs are out and about than normal at this time of year,” says vet Suzanne Boardman, chief executive of WIN. “But this doesn’t mean that precautions can be relaxed. Even though hedgehogs may not be in the deep sleep of hibernation, they still find bonfires a very attractive refuge during the daytime.”

 

Sadly, the delightful habit of rolling into a ball in the face of a threat means that few hedgehogs will survive a lit bonfire. But for those that do emerge with charred spines and, possibly, blistered feet, immediate veterinary aid can enable them to survive and be reintroduced into the wild.

 

“If you discover a hedgehog with charred spines, don’t hesitate to take it to the local vet, Blue Cross, RSPCA centre or PDSA clinic as quickly as possible,” advises Mrs Boardman. “It will need very gentle handling – best to use gloves – and the vet will know how to encourage it to unroll to enable examination and treatment..

 

 “Even if it only looks like the spines are singed, there may be severe skin burns which the untrained eye cannot see. In a few days, if the hedgehog hasn’t died of shock, the skin may slough off the affected area leading to infection and, if untreated, probably a painful death.”

 

More guidance on hedgehogs and all other British mammals, birds, reptiles and insects may be found on the WIN website, www.wildlifeinformation.org.

 

 

ends

 

For further information, please contact Lindy Margach of Woodcote Communications, telephone 020 8660 4168.

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1                    The Wildlife Information Network was set up 10 years ago by Yorkshire-born Suzanne Boardman, a veterinarian at London Zoo who was receiving requests for information and technical support from all corners of the globe. The information existed, but was fragmented and, in emerging countries, very difficult to obtain. WIN was inaugurated as a paper network of newsletters and collated information. It became a registered charity (No. 1048059) in 1995.