Home / Environment / Orphaned Hoglets Nursed Back to Health in UK
Orphaned Hoglets Nursed Back to Health in UK
3 Jun
Summary
- Five baby hedgehogs found orphaned in a North Yorkshire garden.
- Hoglets are being nursed back to health at a rescue center.
- UK hedgehogs are a vulnerable species facing extinction.
Five orphaned baby hedgehogs are currently being nursed back to health after being discovered without their mother in a garden in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. The young hoglets were found under decking and, with no sign of their mother, a local homeowner contacted a vet for assistance. Your Family Vets involved Anne Morley, a local wildlife carer, who was ready to help.
The hoglets were examined at Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue in Otley and were found to be malnourished and dehydrated. They will remain at the rescue center until they reach a target weight of approximately 400g. Following this, they will return to Ms. Morley's care for further fostering and development before their eventual release back into the wild.
The West European hedgehog, the UK's only native species, is classified as vulnerable to extinction. Since 2000, over half of the UK's hedgehog population has disappeared from rural areas, and they are now absent from a third of towns and cities. These animals hibernate over winter and emerge in the spring.
