Nottinghamshire residents are being warned to keep a look-out for hedgehogs as winter fast approaches, with this year’s mild autumn seeing an increase in baby hogs.
Following The British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s statement earlier this month warning people of sleeping hedgehogs in bonfires, a local wildlife rescue centre is also appealing to people to keep alert over the coming winter months.
Our Back Yard Wildlife Rescue is an Ilkeston-based rescue centre which serves Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, who are dedicated to rehabilitating and releasing hedgehogs back into the wild.
With over 50 hedgehogs currently in the centre, they are seeing the effects of a mild autumn and are calling for people to look out for any hedgehogs in the daytime especially any infants.
The mild autumn has seen an increase in the number of hedgehog’s breeding late into the year, with advice that if they can fit in the palm of your hand and if they’re out in the day-time to call a local rescue centre.
Lesley Robinson from Our Back Yard said: “I’ve got 53 [hedgehogs] in at the moment that we are over-wintering, many of which are the small ones.
Anyone who finds a hedgehog out in the day-time should place them in a box filled with newspaper and old towels, along with some meaty cat or dog food and water.
They should also contact their local hedgehog rescue centre which can be found by contacting the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.