Shepreth Hedgehog Hospital
Shepreth Wildlife Park also run a Shepreth Wildlife Conservation Charity (SWCC) and one of the animals they protect are hedgehogs. The common hedgehog is under threat from changes to their natural habitat caused by humans, so the Hedgehog Hospital at Shepreth treat and rehabilitate hedgehogs in need before releasing them back into the wild.
The hedgehogs are brought in from across Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire as well as surrounding areas. The project is run by a small number of permanent hospital staff, volunteers, animal keepers and SWCC Trustees, and since opening in 2011, 5675 hedgehogs have been admitted to the Shepreth Hedgehog Hospital. Throughout the UK, research suggests that a fifth of the hedgehog population die out every four years. So, the work of hedgehog rehabilitation could prove to be vital for the long-term survival of hedgehogs.
It is important for gardens to be hedgehog friendly, so here are some ways you can do that. Hedgehog highways: creating small holes or gaps in your fencing to create pathways for the hedgehogs to travel through, cover any drains or holes so they don’t fall in, if you have a pond, make sure it’s not too deep and the hedgehogs can enter and exit safely easy when it has sloping sides, and leave food and water for them. Hedgehogs usually have a varied natural diet including beetles and slugs, but they also eat dog/cat food so any of these options are good for them. Don’t use slug pellets and also, if you can, why not give them a little hedgehog house!
There are many ways you can help hedgehogs and if you want to be a part of the Shepreth Hedgehog Hospital you can become a volunteer, donate or even sponsor a hedgehog!
