Last week, on my way down to London, I visited Wildlife Aid, in Leatherhead. You may have seen this wildlife rescue centre on the TV series Wildlife SOS. The Wildlife Aid Foundation rescues hundreds of animals every year with the aim of returning every animal, that is capable of surviving, back to its natural environment.
They have recently launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the plight of hedgehogs in the UK and to raise some money for their care. In the 1950s there were over 30 million hedgehogs in the UK, now there are less than one million with urban extinctions predicted by 2025! It is a very frightening thought that these creatures could completely disappear from urban habitats by the time my nieces and nephews grow up.
To help rise valuable funds and awareness, they have launched micro-site off of their main site and it is well worth a look… full of information and wonderful photos of Harry… one of the many orphans being raised by the trust. You can access the website by clicking on the image above. They have also commissioned a wonderful hedgehog animation, which can be accessed via the microsite or via YouTube.
You can also download the wonderful song that accompanies the video. The animation and song are both lovely!….
I was lucky enough to see behind the scenes at the amazing work the Foundation do…. so many orphans requiring specialised care. I had the chance to meet some of the smallest hedgehogs being cared for. These guys are still at the age when they should be safely tucked away in a nest with their mother. It takes a tremendous amount of time to care for these tiny guys… hand feeding until they are able to feed themselves and constant checks to ensure their well-being.
It is SO important to be careful when clearing areas in the garden where there may be piles of leaves, long grass, or similar, as it is easy to disturb the maternal nests of these mammals, often causing the female to desert her young. One family the Trust has were ‘rescued’ as a complete family when they were found and the owner did not want hedgehogs in the garden! Unbelievable!
If you are not already thinking about what you can do to make your garden hedgehog friendly, then take a look at this Wildlife Aid microsite and may be upload the song from iTunes…. in this way you can support the great work the Foundation are doing.
