Teacher’s Cambridgeshire hedgehog hostel in desperate need of extra space

A teacher who is looking after almost 40 HEDGEHOGS in her HOME is appealing for funding for bigger premises after the mild Autumn weather meant the prickly creatures were not hibernating properly.

Heather Johnson, 49, runs a hedgehog hostel from her home in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, but says she urgently needs more space after being inundated with hedgehogs due to a bumper breeding season and unpredictable weather.

Heather, who set up the service 10 years ago, keeps the hedgehogs in plastic crates in her 8ft square sun room at the back of her mid-terrace home, but is now running out of room.

She said recent wet conditions had caused a shortage of natural food – and mild weather meant they were not hibernating properly.

“The temperature needs to be below three degrees for five consecutive days to trigger their hibernation, but as we know the weather is all over the place these days,” she said.

“Development is also eroding their habitat, hedgerow is being lost, it is a terrible situation for these much-loved animals.”

It comes after a new report shows hedgehog numbers have declined so far worldwide they are now listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list.

Hedgehogs are threatened by vehicle collisions, intensive farming, urban development, and the use of pesticides, which kill the insects they eat.

Heather’s hedgehog hostel website here:

https://hedgehoghostel.co.uk/

Heather said an increase in public awareness meant more people were now rescuing hedgehogs, but they needed a new premises to cope, which could cost tens of thousands to rent.

“People are more aware that hedgehogs are in decline and want to help, but we need more space,” she added. “If everyone just donates £1 towards our charity we would be able to move to a bigger building.”