A hedgehog expert has warned that the condition of rescued hedgehogs this year has been the worst she has ever seen.
Dru Burdon of the Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group said many animals admitted were either dead on arrival or died shortly after rescue. She linked this decline to a lack of available food caused by an unusually hot, dry spring and summer, along with advice for residents to stop feeding wildlife because of an increase in rats.
Burdon said climate change and habitat loss are making survival increasingly difficult for hedgehogs, as dry, hardened soil prevents them from digging for insects. Young hedgehogs struggled to survive once they were weaned, while many female hedgehogs admitted during the summer were severely underweight and malnourished.
Rescue figures highlight the problem: in October 2023, 79 hedgehogs were admitted, with 47 dying and 26 released. In October 2024, 71 were taken in, with 38 dying and 15 released. Last month, only 27 were admitted, with 16 deaths and 13 successful releases.
Burdon noted that hedgehogs are increasingly clustering around the few gardens where people still provide food, though in smaller numbers than in previous years. She also warned that fenced gardens, plastic lawns, paving and decking reduce nesting opportunities and food sources.
She urged residents to make gardens more hedgehog-friendly by creating access gaps, providing food and water, and improving natural habitats.
