The Scottish SPCA is urging people to help hedgehogs this Hedgehog Awareness Week.
The annual campaign, run by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by wild hedgehogs and encourages people to help them.
Currently, the charity is caring for 14 hedgehogs at their National Wildlife Centre in Fishcross, where the small mammal team is providing expert care.
However, that number is growing every day.
In the first quarter of 2024, the charity cared for 89 hedgehogs in need, each with its own story and struggle.
This year, 59 prickly guests have already found refuge with the charity.
The charity frequently admits hedgehogs found out during the day in poor condition, which is usually a sign they’re unwell and in urgent need of specialist care.
Jenna Lister, triage assistant at the National Wildlife Centre, said: "With the arrival of warmer weather, we often see an increase in injured hedgehogs being brought into the centre—many of them hurt during gardening activities.
"Strimmer injuries can be devastating, ranging from infected wounds to broken or missing limbs, and in some cases, can be fatal."
She added: "Thankfully, hedgehogs, like Petechez, are sometimes spotted by kind members of the public—in his case, he was found and taken to a vet for initial treatment.
"He received pain relief to keep him comfortable before being transferred to our wildlife centre for further rehabilitation.
"When he arrived, he was extremely stressed and tightly curled up—a natural defensive response when they feel threatened.
"Upon closer examination, we discovered a large, infected wound on the left side of his body.
"Our small mammal team is now providing him with the care and treatment he needs to recover."
The Scottish SPCA has provided several tips for the public to help protect hedgehogs.
They suggest leaving natural materials like leaves, logs, and moss in gardens, as these make ideal nesting spots for hedgehogs.
Gardeners are urged to always check carefully before strimming, digging, or doing other garden work, as hedgehogs often hide in undergrowth or leaf piles.
Making gardens wildlife-friendly by removing hazards such as netting and plastic and creating safe spaces for animals to explore can also help.
Support feeding hedgehogs by putting out shallow dishes of water and offering cat food or specially formulated hedgehog food is encouraged.
However, they advise never to provide bread or milk.
The charity also urges members of the public to act quickly if they find a hedgehog in distress and to call a wildlife rescue centre or helpline with as much information as possible.
Signs that a hedgehog may be in trouble include being seen out during the day, especially if it looks weak or underweight, lying on its side or appearing to sunbathe, showing visible injuries, wobbling, limping, or walking in circles, being trapped in netting, drains, or holes, being shaped like a rugby ball, being surrounded by flies or looking unresponsive, and a hoglet (baby hedgehog) alone, especially if it’s calling out or feels cold.
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