Hedgehog population decline puts pressure on local rescue centre

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust website asks its readers, ‘When did you last see a hedgehog?’, a prevalent, concerning issue, as this time last year the prickly mammals were classed as ‘threatened’ and placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s ‘red list’.

Urban development and intensive agriculture have been attributed to the significant loss of hedgehog habitats, with a lack of mobility on offer due to the loss of hedgerows and changes in farming practices. This issue has never been more relevant with the ongoing campaign against the building of a 2,500-acre solar farm connecting South Milford, North Yorkshire, to other towns.

Rooftops Not Countryside is a local group that campaigns against the building of the solar farm, highlighting their issues with the sacrifice of

“Increasing our human footprint by taking over natural areas.” We want to walk, ride, and take photographs whilst looking at our beautiful landscapes of fields, not metal structures.”

In a time where the UK’s quest to net zero is becoming more prevalent, locals think we may be losing sight of protecting our immediate natural world by focusing on trying to save the Earth in the long run.

Local animal rescues are one of the main victims of the destruction of nature, as Milford Hedgehogs – based in South Milford – is one of many that struggle under the weight of being self-funded and solely reliant on volunteers. In the recent autumn months, they have had to adopt a one in, one out policy to manage their case load.

As we head into the colder months and hibernation for the hogs approaches, the rescue has tighter constraints to deal with. This includes getting hogs to bigger release weights, waiting for good weather windows and finding safe areas to release them. Urban development and climate change exacerbate these challenges.

Jayne Griffiths, the organiser of the rescue centre uses a converted shed on her property as a hedgehog hospital where she can treat and house poorly hedgehogs. At the start of the year, they were even able to build an outside run to rehabilitate them. However, the size of the space cannot meet the demands, so she has called on indoor fosterers to help.

“We prefer to minimise time in rescue, as it can be stressful for the hoggies, and the chances of them getting poorly again increase.”

They are supplied with food and a cage – often donated through volunteers – and are tasked to weigh, clean, and feed them daily. If it’s your first time, you’ll be required to do a couple of sessions in the hog hospital so that you’re confident with handling them and know what to look out for. The benefits of this system prove valuable due to the dedicated time singular hedgehogs can get.

In the face of a declining hedgehog population, these small rescue centers prove that their local community and the volunteers who give up their time are the lifeblood of taking care of our wildlife.

Find out more about local rescues in your area and help ensure our hedgehog population steers clear of endangerment.