Finding Dead Hedgehogs- help!

[Norfolkjo]

I need some advice please. I found two hedgehogs at the beginning of this month, one week apart- both dead. Neither hedgehog had any visible damage, the second was on it's back and it's lower belly looked rather swollen. Second hedgehog found a foot away from where I found the first on top of a heap of sticks. They almost looked like they had been dropped over the fence. Another dead hedgehog was found over the summer, also not damaged in any obvious way. This is on a little used area of an infant school site, bordered by housing. What do you think is going on? Disease? Poison? Wrong food? Please help!

[CharlieCreek]

This does sound very strange. If they were all found in the same spot in the area it does seem almost as though they are being dumped there.

If they were say eating poison and naturally then wandering off to die I would have thought they would have not all wandered to the same place. However could they be eating some kind of poison in a garden and then be being dumped over a fence once dead?

Of course this is supposition on my part.

The only thing I can think of is (and I hope it doesn't happen) is if you find another one is maybe to bag it, take it to a vet, explain the situation and see if they would be willing to do a post mortem. Alternatively, a local hedgehog rescuer who will have a good working relationship with their vet could be contacted and the situation explained and I am sure they would help by picking it up and getting it to their vet. If then anything untoward was identifed it could be escalated.

[Kayleigh]

Might be worth letting the wildlife crime officer know at the local police station that is if they have one.
Tell them what you know.

[CharlieCreek]

Good point,

I am maybe guessing but if your name on here does relate to your county then this is from the Wildlife Trusts Pages...

"The Norfolk police have specially trained wildlife crime/wildlife liaison officers who can offer specialist advice on wildlife and the law. Any cases of suspected wildlife crime such as egg collecting or illegal persecution of wildlife should be reported to your local wildlife liaison officer. Contact details of your local wildlife crime officer can be obtained from Norfolk police on 0845 456 4567."

Of course until a hog is found and a reason for death identified they may not have much of a lead. If indeed this is the result of a malicious or deliberately careless act.

[SheffieldLass]

Drowned in someone's pond, and they've just dumped them over the fence?
A pond which has very slippy sides can be a death trap to hedgehogs as they can't clamber out, and can kill off quite a few as they are attracted to the moisture to drink (my neighbour had one such pond, with pond liner lining - very small but lethal).

[Norfolkjo]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to talk to the school council who are hopefully going to make hedgehog awareness leaflets and perhaps do a local survey. I found the location of the bodies really strange, but now I check there on a regular basis and if anything else happens I will follow it up... Cheers everyone!

[CharlieCreek]

Good point Sheffieldlass.

That sounds good Norfolkjo, please let us know what happens.

[Brocakat]

There's a possibility it/they could have eaten some worms which were dosed with strychnine - farmers and other used this to kill moles, which have been dipped in the strychnine.

Also, whilst Chemical (a) Carbaryl (Trade names - "Thinsec" & "Cavalier" ) has had its approval revoked since July 2001 and Chemical (b)Carbendazim is now restricted to qualified professional Turf Maintenance employees - it's possible (but a log shot) that one of these operatives could have been using one of these two chemicals to kill worms (which are not wanted on fine turf ( e.g. Bowling & Golf Greens ) due to the casts they make.......and that it has had a cumulative & eventually fatal effect, when the hedgehogs found the dead worms?

Autopsy / chemical analysis is the only answer - everyrhing else is speculation.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Brocakat

There's a possibility it/they could have eaten some worms which were dosed with strychnine - farmers and other used this to kill moles, which have been dipped in the strychnine.

The use of strychnine to kill moles has been illegal since late 2006 (though of course that doesn't necessarily mean that it has stopped).

henrya

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by Norfolkjo

This is on a little used area of an infant school site,

Might also be worth checking with the infant school's caretaker/gardener if he’s using any chemicals, i.e. lawn feed & weed/herbicides, etc., on the school’s lawn.