 |
 |
|
|
News6 May 2007 One thousand Uist hedgehogs relocatedBut animal organisations warn funding required for future relocationsThe Uist Hedgehog Rescue (UHR)¹ coalition is celebrating the relocation over one thousand hedgehogs from the Uists and their release into new territories on the mainland. The coalition has been relocating hedgehogs from the Outer Hebridean islands every year since 2003 and has already relocated over a hundred hedgehogs since they came out of hibernation this spring. The animals are being removed from the islands as they eat the eggs of internationally important populations of ground nesting wading birds. Prior to 2007, UHR rescued hedgehogs which would otherwise have been culled. Since 2007, UHR has been working with the Uist Wader Project (UWP)², which is handing over all the hedgehogs it catches to be taken to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust on the mainland and then released into suitable sites in Scotland. This spring UWP is catching hedgehogs from mid-March until end-May and catching may continue in the autumn. UHR is entirely self-funding and currently receives no financial support from the Government although it has made clear to SNH and the Government that it cannot continue to provide a free relocation service indefinitely. UHR Spokesperson, Ross Minett, said: "It is great to celebrate our one thousandth hedgehog relocated from the Uists and released on the mainland. All hedgehogs are carefully monitored, health-checked and tagged before being released into appropriate sites. It would, be helpful for anyone finding one of these hedgehogs to let us know by calling the number on the tag. More information on our work can be found at www.uhr.org.uk. For the last two years we have been pleased to have a productive working relationship with UWP, which is handing over to us all the hedgehogs it catches. However, relocating these animals costs money and we can’t continue to provide this service for free for much longer. We hope that government funds will be made available to allow us to continue removing hedgehogs which should benefit the important breeding populations of wading birds on the Uists." David Maclennan, the UWP chairman, said: "We will be reviewing the success of the project to date and will make recommendations for future activity later in the year. These will take account of the costs of translocation of the hedgehogs." Notes to Editors 1. UHR consists of Advocates for Animals, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust and International Animal Rescue. For more information see www.uhr.org.uk 2. Uist Wader Project (UWP) is a partnership including SNH, the Scottish Governement and RSPB Scotland. For more information see www.snh.org.uk/scottish/wisles/waders |
One thousand Uist hedgehogs relocated UIST Hedgehog Rescue moves hundreds more hedgehogs to mainland Scotland First hundred Uist hedgehogs released on mainland Scotland  |
|