By Phil Coleman

Last updated at 13:50, Thursday, 11 September 2008

The soggy summer weather is causing a prickly problem for the Knoxwood Wildlife Rescue Centre near Wigton.

Emma Scott with a three month old hedgehog

So much heavy rain has fallen that many hedgehogs are struggling to cope, their tiny bodies exhausted by constant cold and hunger.

Animal lovers from across the region are now turning to Knoxwood for help.

In the last six days alone, the centre has taken in 20 rain-battered hedgehogs, bringing the current total now resident there to 30.

Hedgehogs are being brought in from as far afield as Alston and Gretna to the north and Preston and even Watford to the south.

Knoxwood founder George Scott said: “We’ve had more than 100 hedgehogs brought into the centre this year – more than we’ve ever had. It’s all down to the exceptionally wet weather.

“Normally, they don’t mind the damp because it brings out slugs and snails which hedgehogs like to eat but enough if enough.

“When we keep getting sudden downpours, the rain gets between their spines and down to the skin, taking away most of their temperature. When it keeps happening, they eventually just roll over and give up.

“People have been bringing them in from all over the place, including the north east, Lancashire, and even Watford.

“Once they recover, we’re releasing them as fast as we can but we’ve now got 10 babies in at the moment which we’ll probably have to keep through the winter.”

The centre is also getting phone calls from worried animal lovers asking how they can help hedgehogs they have found struggling in gardens.

George said people should initially help the animals dry out, putting them in a cardboard box with a carefully wrapped hot water bottle to avoid scalding.

When the hedgehog is active again and showing signs of recovery, they can be fed with cat food, scrambled eggs or scraps of chicken.

He fears that if the wet weather continues, the species may see an appreciable fall in numbers in the year ahead.

George added: “Other animals are suffering because of the wet weather.

“We’ve got wood pigeons, marsh harriers, a red squirrel, and a buzzard. The weather is against everything just now.”

First published at 11:54, Thursday, 11 September 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk