[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Juvenile hedgehogs born too late in the year may not have enough fat on them to survive hibernation this winter, experts warn.
Britain’s hedgehog population could be at risk after the hot summer caused females to give birth later than usual, meaning their offspring may be too small to survive hibernation.
While the animals usually have their babies in May, June or July, milder temperatures can push this back, or lead to a second litter being born later in the summer.
But hedgehogs born too late lack the body fat needed to survive the winter, and it is feared many could die.
Rescue centres have already seen a rise in the numbers of sickly hedgehogs being handed in this autumn, most of them juveniles.
The increase follows one of the warmest summers on record, with temperatures averaging 15.2°C for June, July and August.
Leander Johnson, who runs Prickly Pals Hedgehog Rescue in the New Forest, Hants, said she had taken in 12 hedgehogs in the last fortnight, whereas the number would typically be one or two at this time of year.
"It's been completely manic,” she said. "Most of these hedgehogs are juveniles - youngsters that have left the nest - and are suffering from dehydration, cold or lungworm.
"As temperatures drop these juveniles have not built up enough fat reserves to survive hibernation. But their body is telling them to hibernate.
"In their search for food, which is scarce, they are also using up any energy supplies and becoming weaker, leaving them in trouble."
A telltale sign a hedgehog has a problem is if it is seen during the day, she said.
The centre is urging the public to be vigilant and help any sickly hedgehogs by feeding them water and dog or cat food to build up their strength.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society said young hedgehogs with insufficient fat reserves to survive hibernation posed a problem every year but the danger was exacerbated when the weather stayed mild for longer.
Fay Vass, chief executive of the charity, said: “The ones born later could struggle. If they’re not at a good enough weight when they go into hibernation they won’t come out of it, they’ll die.
“Hibernation is a perilous thing to do so if a hedgehog is weaker or smaller they’re not going to make it.”
Britain’s hedgehog population is estimated to have fallen from around 30 million in the 1980s to around one million today, the charity said.
“It’s a massive decline so every single hedgehog is precious,” Ms Vass added.
Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:14 am