WATCH: Rescued hedgehogs given new start in Wester Ross 'hedgehog haven'
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Rescued hedgehogs have been given a new start on the west coast after Ullapool ‘hedgehog guardians’ offered to take in the rehabilitated hoglets.
Jane Wilson, who runs Highland Wildlife Rescue in Brora, put up a Facebook post to say she was looking to re-home 35 rescued hedgehogs and hoglets, in a safe and suitable area.
Environmental consultant for the Ullapool Sea Savers, Noel Hawkins, shared the word and a number of Ullapool locals volunteered to take one in.
With money raised from a previous project, the Ullapool Sea Savers offered to pay for all the new hedgehog houses needed, as well as offering to transport the hogs from Brora to Lochbroom.
So far, Noel has taken over the first four rescued hoglets to their new homes in Ullapool, Lochside, and Rhue.
Centre manager Jane Wilson said: “With a number of rehabilitated adults, and reared youngsters that can’t be returned to their finder sites for one reason or another, we are delighted to have this opportunity to work with such a welcoming community of wildlife lovers.
“The fantastic support from Noel, the Ullapool Sea Savers, and the new hedgehog guardians means we can help support the number of hedgehogs living wild lives in and around Ullapool.
“As the only licensed wildlife rescue centre for the Highlands, we are available to help and advise anyone who is concerned about our native wildlife species.
Noel said: “Hedgehog numbers have really dropped in the UK in recent years so we’re hoping that this might be a way to make Ullapool a hedgehog haven.
“Ullapool used to have lots of hedgehogs when I was young, but numbers dropped off for a while, although they now seem to be recovering.
“We will be taking more hogs over as the juveniles become big and healthy enough candidates for release, with plans to release them around Ullapool and Lochbroom, to try and boost a healthy long term population.”
