Hedgehogs successfully rehomed at popular holiday resort

One of Wales’ most popular holiday resorts has helped to rehome hedgehogs as part of a longstanding partnership with a Welsh hedgehog rehabilitation centre.

During this month alone, Bluestone National Park Resort has rehomed three juvenile hedgehogs aged one year old as part of the five-star holiday resort’s long-standing partnership with Pembrokeshire Hogspital.

Pembrokeshire Hogspital rescues and rehabilitates sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs, returning them to the wild in most cases.

Three hedgehogs, twin brothers and a single unrelated female, are now in the process of a soft release at Bluestone National Park Resort.

A purpose-built lodge is made for them, gradually they are given more space, the fences are then taken away, and food will continue to be provided for them until eventually they are successfully integrated into the wild.

Delight

Marten Lewis, director of sustainability at Bluestone, said: “Over the past five years, Bluestone has been part of several heartwarming hedgehog releases.

“This spring we were delighted to have rehomed and released more hedgehogs who have received incredible care from Pembrokeshire Hogspital.

“This one is extra special as we also got a little help from our community, asking Bluestone’s social media followers to name the hedgehogs’ new ‘lodges’; so, the new official lodge names are Tŷ Draenog and Hodge Lodge.”

Bluestone has a longstanding partnership of five years with its local Hogspital, having donated money for an intensive care unit to provide incubators for looking after baby hedgehogs; and serving as an emergency release site, which is a safe place for hedgehogs that are ready to leave the Hogspital but for a variety of reasons can’t be taken back to where they were found.

Ten top tips for helping to keep hedgehogs safe:

By environmental scientist Marten Lewis, director of sustainability at Bluestone National Park Resort.

1. Make a hedgehog highway

Create space for hedgehogs to move between gardens by creating a gap between fences, so they can roam and find food more easily; about 13cm wide and 13cm high is ideal.

2. Be water aware

Thirsty hedgehogs will appreciate a shallow dish of water left out for them to drink from, especially in warmer weather.

3. Check before gardening

Carry out a quick check before any potentially dangerous tools are used in the garden like a lawnmower, garden fork, or strimmer.  A hedgehog might be hiding in areas like long grass, under hedges or in the compost heap.

4. Bonfire checks

A pile of unwanted wood for the bonfire can be an attractive place for hedgehogs, so always check that one hasn’t crawled underneath before lighting it.  Ideally, bonfires should be made on the same day as planned to be burned or move the pile before lighting it.

5. Choose chemical-free treatments

Did you know that crushed eggshells and coffee grounds can be used as natural alternatives to slug pellets and pesticides?  These are much safer options for curious hedgehogs who might get sick from shop-bought treatments.

6. Remove litter

Clear away litter, cut up plastic rings, and remove all other potential hazards that can entangle or trap hedgehogs.

7. Leave natural shelters

Thoroughly tidying up the garden is tempting but leaving some wild areas, log piles, leaf piles, and compost heaps can be useful for hedgehogs as they might provide shelter and attract insects that they can eat.

8. Provide extra food

Help to make it easy for hedgehogs to find food by leaving out meaty jelly-based cat or dog food in a shallow dish.  Special hedgehog food can be bought but it tends to be more expensive.

9. Be accident-aware

Hedgehogs can be fearless so make sure that any garden pond has a way hedgehogs can climb out if they accidentally fall in, like a ramp made from a piece of wood, or a stone that emerges from the water. Keep domestic drains covered, hedgehogs can sometimes fall into them and get stuck.

10. Tie up nets

Store netting safely after it’s used, like football goals, pea nets, cricket nets, or any other type of net; tie them up and out of harm’s way when you’re finished with them, as it’s easy for hedgehogs to get tangled.

Find out more about how people and the planet are at the heart of Bluestone National Park Resort here.