Stop - think hedgehog ; COMMUNITY FOCUS This week''s essay is written by Trevor Weeks founder of the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance...

[EMT City Administrator]

Stop - think hedgehog ; COMMUNITY FOCUS This week''s essay is written by Trevor Weeks founder of the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service [Edition 6]

THE East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service is urging people to "Think Hedgehog" in the coming weeks after a hedgehog was impaled on a garden fork. The hedgehog was found in a garden near Northiam at a time when landscaping and garden clearance was taking place, and was extremely lucky to survive.

It was delivered to our casualty care centre in Whitesmith, after being kept in a shed for two days by the finder, who did not know what to do with it.

One of the wounds was quite smelly and infected and the second was not so bad, but both were clearly quite deep. I was expecting much worse as quite often the puncture wounds are central on the body and end up causing horrendous internal injuries, which are usually fatal.

This fork luckily speared either side of the main body cavity, avoiding the creature's vital areas and this hedgehog is extremely lucky. We are urging gardeners to take care while clearing gardens and to be mindful of locations where hedgehogs might be sleeping.

Hedgehogs are still hibernating and depending on the weather will be in and out of hibernation until April time. Any hedgehogs found out during the day time will be in need of help as they are nocturnal animals.

They hibernate in all sorts of locations, including under and inside of sheds, in green houses, in pampas grass, in compost heaps, in thick vegetation using grass and leaves.

We have even found them in piles of rubble, under decking surrounded by plastic bags and litter, and some have been partially buried in soil and leaves under bushes, so be careful when clearing areas, as it will not always be where you expect.

If you do find a hedgehog, place it back and cover it exactly how found. They will often then go and find a new place to stay, but if they don't, please seek advice. If the nest is badly destroyed or the hedgehog is injured in anyway, call for help straight away.

The injured hedgehog has been seen by our vet and its wounds have been cleaned using a warm diluted iodine bath. It is now on antibiotics and we hope it will make a full recovery.

Our work is funded by donations and we can only carry out this work with the public's support and help.

If you can make a donation to support the charity, please call 01825 873003 or donate online at www.wildlifeambulance.org To write this column: Please send 500 words to sussex.reporters@courier.co.uk clearly marked Community Focus

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

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