We have almost a hundred hedgehogs in the wildlife unit at the moment, along with a variety of birds, and no doubt many, many more hedgehogs will arrive over winter. These guys will be our guests until mid spring or until it begins to warm up.

Meet this poor little chap, sadly he’s lost the vast majority of his spines due to ringworm and a possible zinc deficiency. Thankfully, he was found in time and will now receive all the TLC and treatment he desperately needs.

Here’s another hedgehog who is well on her way to good health after being successfully treated for ringworm, which afflicts many hedgehogs, resulting in them losing their spines.

Yes….REALLY! 

We also have a rather irritable hedgehog who has taken to biting the staff, generally, hedgehogs are wonderful patients as they tend to be passive and simply curl up when being treated.

To find out more or how you can help, please click HERE. http://bit.do/over-wintering.

Unbelievably, we admitted a duckling recently, what on earth is going on???

What we need this week

We urgently need long shredded paper as we are running extremely short, also towels, hedgehog food, non-fish flavoured cat biscuits and cat food to care for and feed our overwintering hedgehogs.

A huge, huge thank you to anyone who can help, we really do appreciate it.

I know it’s not wildlife but….

How cute is one of our residents pigs hunkering down for winter!

Out and about in December

This is the time of year when bats go into torpor and begin hibernating. They often seek out disused tunnels and caves which have the ideal temperature and humidity they require. It’s not uncommon to find bats with droplets of water [due to natural forming condensation] all over their bodies.

It’s also a good time to look out for owls now as the trees are bare which makes it easier to spot them.

December is a busy month for foxes as it’s now mating season which means foxes are now seen travelling in pairs.

Also, listen out for robins, one of the few birds that sing day and night throughout the year. They do this to defend their territories and if challenged, will fight, often to the death.

Did you know….

that foxes have exceptional senses and are able to use the earths magnetic field to help pinpoint their prey under snow and in long grass.

Bats, hedgehogs and dormice are the only British mammals that truly hibernate.

That 40 million birds have vanished from British skies over the last 50 years according to a report published by the RSPB, and that half of all insects have been lost since 1970 as a result of the destruction of their natural habitat and the heavy use of pesticides. Sadly, 40% of the one million known species are also facing extinction.

Please remember to….

Leave food and fresh water out for the birds this winter.

Keep all pets warm and secure as firework season is upon us once again…sighs.

Also, please leave piles of leaves and twigs for hibernating hedgehogs and bees, butterflies and beetles that haven’t died and are now in winter torpor.

And Finally……..

We would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very merry little Christmas and a happy, healthy, prosperous  2020. Thank you all for your endless support, you have no idea how much we all appreciate you.

Always remember to seek advice from the wildlife staff before bringing an animal to the rescue. If an animal is seriously injured, please take it to a vet as we don’t always have a vet on site. Most vets treat wildlife for free.