Sonic the Hedgehog

On the 7th July I was working in the car park next to the 3G pitches and happened to see this little guy shuffling across the tarmac and then into the border. I love seeing wildlife like this on campus because it just shows how diverse our campus can be with the amount of wildlife we come across.
This one was an adult as, although its hard to tell on the photograph, it was actually quite large.
Then on the 27th July whilst litter picking on a morning before the morning graduation took place I saw this little guy in the grass.

Now this one had me concerned because its very unusual to see a baby hedgehog curled up in plain site in an open grassed area during the day. So I did a little research online and got in contact with the Hedgehog Society and I found out that should you ever find a hedgehog like this then it needs urgent care and assistance.

So I'd just like to share some information with you about the hedgehog otherwise known as Erinaceus europaeus.
Although once a common sight across the British Isles but not on the Scottish Islands, it is now in severe decline with an estimate in 2010 of just 1 million now in the wild (1).
A hedgehog can have between 5000 and 7000 spines on their body and what many people aren't aware of is that they do actually have a small tail (2).
Their dietary needs consist mainly of insects but they are known to be partial to a bit of dog food and it does help to put out a saucer of water especially during the summer season.
Should you find a baby hedgehog called a Hoglet sunbathing like I did last week then this does need urgent care. The only reason for them to do this is to try and warm up. So should you find one then you should put it in a fleece or towel lined box using thick gardening gloves, and place a bottle of warm water either underneath or to the side of the hoglet to try and warm it up.

Then you should call your local hedgehog rescue centre or the Hedgehog Preservation Society (01584 890 801) to find out your next step.
Unfortunately for the little guy I found, it was too late. I managed to get him into a box with a warm water bottle and took him to my local rescue but just as we arrived he passed away. It was rather heart wrenching as we got so close but not soon enough. So should you find yourself in a similar situation please do try and save them asap as they are becoming an endangered species within Britain, as it would be such a shame for this species to become extinct.


1: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/pdf/SoBH_2015.pdf
2: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/leaflets/L9-Basic-Facts.pdf

Photographs taken by myself on 7th July and 27th July.