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Hedgehog rehabilitation in perspective

P A Morris1

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of London, Egham, Surrey.

The Veterinary Record
|January 9, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Rehabilitated hedgehogs, including those raised in captivity, generally adapt well to wild life. Initial weight loss is common, but most survive long-term, indicating release programs are beneficial for hedgehog conservation.

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Area of Science:

  • Wildlife rehabilitation
  • Ecology
  • Conservation biology

Background:

  • Thousands of hedgehogs are taken into care annually due to injury or inability to survive hibernation.
  • Limited data existed on the post-release welfare, behavior, and survival of rehabilitated hedgehogs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the adaptation, behavior, and survival rates of rehabilitated hedgehogs released into the wild.

Main Methods:

  • A review of three studies involving 33 released adult and juvenile hedgehogs across different British regions.
  • Monitoring of adaptation, foraging, nesting, weight changes, and survival post-release.

Main Results:

  • The majority of released hedgehogs adapted quickly, finding food, nesting, and learning their environment.
  • Initial weight loss occurred, stabilizing after 2-3 weeks to levels comparable to wild hedgehogs.
  • Hedgehogs heaviest at release lost the most weight, suggesting potential overfeeding in captivity. Causes of mortality included road accidents and predation.

Conclusions:

  • Rehabilitated hedgehogs, including those raised in captivity, demonstrate good adaptation to wild environments.
  • Despite risks like predation and road traffic, the high survival rate supports the efficacy of releasing rehabilitated hedgehogs into the wild.

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