News

1 April 2005

Hedgehog rescuers return to Uists

Taxpayer-funded ’unethical killing policy’ slammed.

Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR), a coalition of animal welfare and wildlife rescue groups, has returned to the Uists and Benbecula to resume the hedgehog rescue and relocation project mounted in 2003 and 2004. This measure has again been necessary because of the illogical decision made by the Uist Wader Project to kill all the hedgehogs on the Scottish Islands. The Uist Wader Project comprises Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Scottish Executive and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Scotland).

In spite of UHR having already shown that the hedgehogs could be successfully relocated to the mainland, the Scottish Executive’s ’conservation’ quango, SNH, plans to begin capturing and killing the healthy hedgehogs again on Monday 4th April.

The hedgehogs stand accused of eating the eggs of the ground-nesting waders, in particular dunlin, snipe, redshank and lapwing. Whilst not disputing the fact that a solution must be found to remedy this situation, to kill the hedgehogs rather than relocate them to the mainland is quite illogical and wholly irresponsible.

So far, SNH’s killing policy has cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds. In contrast, UHR has already put over £3,000 back into the local community by giving islanders a £20 reward for each live hedgehog. In 2003 UHR rescued 156 hedgehogs, with a further 213 were removed last year. Islanders have already brought two hedgehogs to the rescue centre this year.

Criticisms of SNH’s killing policy come from respected animal welfare organisations and mammal ecologists. Each year at least 5,000 rescued and rehabilitated hedgehogs are released into the wild by experienced organisations, including the RSPCA and the SSPCA.

In addition to having strong public support, UHR’s relocation project is supported by a number of celebrities including Joanna Lumley, Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, Jenny Seagrove, Martin Shaw, Carla Lane, Twiggy, Philippa Forrester, Sir Tim Rice, Richard Adams, Ann Widdecombe, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Ian Anderson, Baroness Miller and the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton.

From Saturday 2nd April to 15th May, representatives from UHR will be based on Benbecula at Taighe Na Cille, 22 Balivanich, Benbecula. UHR volunteers will be collecting hedgehogs and will be offering a reward of £20 to any islander who brings a live hedgehog to the rescue centre. The reward will only be payable to islanders over the age of 18 and a brief training on handling hedgehogs will be provided.

A spokesperson for UHR said: " We are disappointed that Scottish Natural Heritage has yet again decided to spend vast amounts of taxpayers’ money killing perfectly healthy hedgehogs this year. As in previous years, SNH is flying in the face of expert scientific advice, decades of practical experience and public opinion by persisting with this unethical lethal policy. We are not disputing the fact that the hedgehogs need to be removed from the islands - we are simply saying that they don’t need to be killed. We are baffled as to why SNH is so determined to kill these perfectly healthy wild animals when there is a simple, humane solution, which is to relocate the hedgehogs live to the mainland. We are hoping to build on the last years’ success and work closely with the islanders again this spring to remove more hedgehogs and thereby help to protect wading birds on the Uists."

Notes to Editors
For further information, interviews or photographs of rescued Uist hedgehogs, please call Ross Minett, Director of Advocates for Animals on 0131 225 6039 or out of hours on: 07946 517585. To contact a representative of UHR on Benbecula please call Kay Bullen on: 01870 602 722 or 07833 646000.

Uist Hedgehog Rescue is a consortium of organisations and experts consisting of Advocates for Animals, British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust and International Animal Rescue.

UHR is appealing to the public for donations to support its rescue mission. Donations should be sent to UHR, c/o BHPS, Hedgehog House, Dhudstone, Shrops, SY8 3PL. Cheques should be made payable to Uist Hedgehog Rescue. Credit card donations can be made by calling 01584 890 801.

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