News
12 February 2007
UHR welcomes Scottish SPCA change of policy to oppose Uist
hedgehog cull
New calls for SNH to end killing policy
The Uist Hedgehog Rescue coalition (UHR)¹ has today welcomed the announcement from the Scottish SPCA that it has changed its policy and is now joining UHR in calling for an end to the culling of hedgehogs on the Uists. The change of policy follows new scientific research confirming that the relocation of hedgehogs from the Uists to mainland Scotland is humane. UHR has opposed the killing of hedgehogs on the Uists since Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) announced its lethal policy in 2002.
In order to save as many healthy wild animals as possible, UHR has rescued and relocated 756 hedgehogs from the Uists over the last four years. Scottish SPCA Inspectors have been invited to monitor UHR’s procedures over the years and have raised no concerns.
The Uist Wader Project (UWP), consisting of SNH, the Scottish Executive and RSPB Scotland, has been killing hedgehogs on the islands since 2003 in an attempt to improve the breeding success of ground-nesting birds. Translocation of hedgehogs was considered as an option by the UWP, but rejected due to concerns that translocated animals would starve. The Scottish SPCA has previously supported this position. UWP has so far killed 658 hedgehogs on the islands.
In the last year two new scientific studies have assessed how translocated hedgehogs fare. Research undertaken by Hugh Warwick² and published last month in the journal Lutra³ showed that 80 per cent of animals relocated to mainland Scotland survived when deaths unrelated to translocation were discounted. Another study published last year, conducted by Professor Stephen Harris from Bristol University, showed that hedgehogs could be translocated successfully after rehabilitation and that their release, onto mainland Britain, had no adverse effect on local hedgehog populations. This research supported the findings of a wealth of previous studies conducted by hedgehog experts from around the world.
Spokesperson for UHR, Ross Minett, said: "We welcome the Scottish SPCA’s change of policy which now opposes the killing of hedgehogs on the Uists and supports their relocation to the mainland. Its policy is now in line with ours and the vast majority of other animal welfare organisations, including the RSPCA. As we have always said, we believe that scientific research and decades of practical experience have shown that translocation is the humane and ethical solution to this problem.
"Having rescued and translocated hedgehogs from the Uists for the last four years, UHR has a proven track record and we will offer to be involved should SNH decide to undertake translocation. We are seeking an urgent meeting with SNH to offer the benefit of our experience and to discuss our existing successful protocol. To maintain consistent animal welfare standards, we are keen that all translocated hedgehogs should travel as short a distance as possible to release sites. Current UHR protocol involves direct transportation from the Uists to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre in Ayrshire for rehabilitation and release in appropriate locations nearby."
Hugh Warwick, author of one of the recent studies on the outcome of translocation of Uist hedgehogs, added: "Our study suggested that if translocation was carried out properly, the hedgehogs had a very good chance of surviving. The Scottish SPCA’s announcement that it now supports translocation instead of killing is good news for conservation and great news for the Uist hedgehogs."
SNH has always said that it would review its killing policy in light of new scientific research. UHR has now written to SNH urging it to change its policy and abandon killing in favour of translocation. It is understood that the Board of SNH is to discuss its policy at a meeting at Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness on Tuesday 20 February.
Notes to Editors
For interviews, further information or photographs please contact UHR Spokesperson Ross Minett on 0131 225 6039 (07946 517585).
1. UHR is a coalition of hedgehog experts, animal welfare and wildlife rescue organisations consisting of Advocates for Animals, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust and International Animal Rescue. Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust has coordinated and overseen release of Uist hedgehogs and Gay or Andy Christie can be contacted on 01505 502415. For more information see www.uhr.org.uk
2. Hugh Warwick, ecologist and journalist is available for interviews and can be contacted on 07815 042 452. He also has hi-resolution photographs of rescued and radio-tracked hedgehogs.
3. ‘Survival and weight changes of hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) translocated from the Hebrides to mainland Scotland’ was published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Lutra. See: http://www.vzz.nl/lutra/Lutra_49_2_Warwick_et_al.pdf. The study was funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
< Back to News
|
