News

31 May 2006

148 hedgehogs killed in annual cull that costs taxpayers £190,000

The annual hedgehog cull on the Scottish island of Uist costs taxpayers around £190,000 each year. It follows that this year, every hedgehog killed cost approximately £1,283.78! The cull is carried out by the Uist Wader Project.

Alongside the annual cull is a rescue effort, Uist Hedgehog Rescue collects and relocates the healthy animals to live out their days on the mainland at a cost of approximately £50 per hedgehog. Islanders collected £1,620 of this money in bounties for handing over live hedgehogs to the rescue centre on the island.

Fay Vass of Uist Hedgehog Rescue said "We are totally bewildered that the Uist Wader Project seems determined to kill healthy animals unnecessarily. We continue to strongly oppose their absurd policy, and will maintain our rescue efforts until the needless and costly slaughter of healthy animals ends."

Hedgehogs are killed by lethal injection to stop them eating the eggs of precious species including lapwing, redshank and ringed plover. Hedgehogs are one predator of eggs on the island; others include Gulls, Mink, Rats, and Feral Cats.

It is thought hedgehogs were introduced to the islands in the 70’s to help control garden pests.

Notes to Editors
For interviews, further information, or photographs of rescued Uist hedgehogs, please contact Ross Minett on 0131 2256039 (07946 517585).

UHR is a coalition of animal welfare, rescue and wildlife organisations and experts consisting of Advocates for Animals, British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust and International Animal Rescue.

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