Majority of hedgehogs rescued in past year died

More than half of the hedgehogs rescued in Jersey over the past year have died or were put to sleep due to severe injuries or extreme heat, two local animal charities have said.

The Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group said of the 350 it was involved in rescuing since last October, 186 passed away and 162 were released back into nature.

In August, the preservation group said the current generation of children could be the last to see living hedgehogs in Jersey.

It said the situation was "very depressing" and that it had not admitted "so few hedgehogs since 2003", with its release rates at "rock bottom too".

The JSPCA said out of the 61 hedgehogs it had rescued this year, 30 had died or been put to sleep due to injuries, having to forage for food and water in the daylight and babies who had lost their mothers - which were most probably searching for food.

It said it had sent 21 to the Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group, released six since July and still had four at its facilities.

The preservation group said during its busiest period between July and September, it had admitted 156 hedgehogs, with 99 dying and 62 being released.

It said: "Some were very near death on arrival, some were put to sleep because of severe injuries and lots of very small youngsters came here to die suffering from the extreme heat and drought.

"This is the third very dry summer and hedgehogs are finding it very hard to find food and water unless people provide it."

The group said islanders could help hedgehogs by putting out shallow bowls of water in their gardens, along with bowls of small cat or dog dry pet food.

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