Islanders Urged To Keep Hedgehogs In Mind This Bonfire Night

Islanders are being urged to keep an eye out for hedgehogs this Bonfire Night (Tuesday November 5).

The plea comes from Isle of Wight Hedgehog Rescue at what is turbulent time of year for the spiky mammal.

Bonfires are very dangerous for hedgehogs as woodpiles are ideal places for shelter.

Sadly many hedgehogs fall foul of un-checked bonfires and are killed because of it.

Here is a video of a recent hedgehog rescue in Newport:

If you do find a hedgehog then take the following steps:

1. Move slowly and calmly.

2. Pick it up with gardening gloves, along with any nesting material it may have been sitting in, and place it in a cardboard box lined with newspaper.

3. Relocate the box to a safe location and release the hedgehog under a bush or log pile.

Will Taylor from Isle of Wight Hedgehog Rescue said:

"We want to ask people to consider hedgehogs at this time of year, and to take some steps to avoid causing injury to these beautiful animals.

"One of the steps is to build a little fence around the bonfire if you can.

"If you can't do that then move the bonfire before you light it, or with a torch have a look and listen with that, and if you light with accelerant and light one side to give them a chance to escape."

Alarming statistics show that 50 years ago there were around 33-million hedgehogs in the UK, a number which shrunk to around one million in 2023, a decline of around 97 per cent.

In order to assist the survival of the precious insectivores, Will recommends making access easier with holes of at least five-inches in diameter available at the bottom of fences.

There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction.

Will continues:

"If people can put water out in a shallow bowl, and dog owners are able to put a little dog food out which isn't fish based then that would really help the hedgehog population."

"Tommy and Rhea from SDS Scaffolding have helped us by sponsoring gifts for the hedgehogs, which has helped us to raise money for food and medication, and without kindness from people like them we would struggle to do the work we do."

Founder of IW Hedgehog Rescue, Jackie Wilson, was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2023 for services to hedgehogs, having started the charity in 2000.

Isle of Wight Hedgehog Rescue is asking the public to share its sightings and pictures of hedgehogs by emailing [email protected].