Welcome to Uist Hedgehog Rescue

Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR) is a coalition of animal protection, welfare and rescue organisations. The coalition was formed in 2002 to work together to campaign against the killing of hedgehogs on the Scottish Outer Hebrides islands of North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist, and to rescue and relocate these hedgehogs to the Scottish mainland.

Our rescue was made necessary due to the decision by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in 2002 to kill an estimated 5,000 hedgehogs on the islands in an effort to protect the eggs of the islands’ internationally-important populations of wader birds. The killing, which resulted in the deaths of around 700 healthy animals, was funded using thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

However, after a successful and high-profile campaign, February 2007 saw SNH announce that it was to end the hedgehog cull in favour of a trial translocation of hedgehogs to the mainland. Instead of killing the hedgehogs it catches, SNH is now transferring them to UHR to be relocated to the mainland.

So our relocation work continues. So far this Spring (April 2008), 20 healthy hogs have been relocated to mainland Scotland to be released into their new homes and a further 12 will shortly be brought from the Uists. So far UHR has rescued and relocated a staggering 967 hedgehogs in total since 2003 and the number continues to rise. However, SNH is so far not providing any funding towards the considerable costs of relocating these animals. This translocation work is being funded and undertaken solely by UHR.

UHR consists of Advocates for Animals, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust and International Animal Rescue.