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3rd MAY 2009 |
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Hedgehogs have pointed, and usually runny, noses. Their sense of smell is very well developed; they can even detect prey underground. |
| HEDGEHOG STORIES: MARIGOLD |
A lady walking down Camp du Roi main road one morning found Marigold, an adult female hedgehog, sitting on the edge of the pavement. She had survived the school rush hour traffic but no one had stopped to see if she was alive or to move her to a safe location. The kind lady who found her knew that hedgehogs should not be out during the day so she picked her up and carried her all the way to the centre.Upon her arrival at the centre we could not find anything wrong with Marigold, she did have a few fleas and ticks on her but these were quickly removed. She weighed a healthy 882 grams. We decided to settle her in a hutch and observe her for a few days just to be sure. After a few days rest at the centre Marigold was ready to be released. We had just found a wonderful new release site at the top of St. Peter Port (the main town in Guernsey) so we released her there. We all thought this would be the end of Marigold's story. One night, a month later, the centre received a phone call from a lady in the Ville au Roi area (on the outskirts of St. Peter Port). She needed a hedgehog removing from her garden. Her dogs were franticly trying to get the hedgehog out of the compost heap and she was very concerned that they would harm it. Unfortunately that night we could not find the hedgehog. The following night, after putting food down for it, the lady managed to secure it. She called us just after 10pm and we immediately went to collect it. We noticed that the hedgehog was wearing an ear tag meaning that it had been through the centre before. Upon checking our records we were amazed to find it was Marigold! Marigold had travelled through dozens of gardens and had managed to safely cross two major roads to get to this lady's lovely natural walled garden that had only a side gate for access. Marigold had managed to 'limbo' under the small gap at the bottom of the gate to get in. Sadly it was just not possible for Marigold to stay in her new 'chosen' garden, as the dogs would hurt her. So again Marigold was relocated to the release site at the top of St. Peter Port and again we thought this would be the end of her story. One week later the same lady in the Ville au Roi area phoned to say she had another hedgehog in her garden. We immediately went to collect it and were amazed to find it was Marigold! None of us at the centre could believe it. We did try to persuade the lady to allow Marigold to stay in her garden but sadly she said no. The following morning (whilst Marigold was at the centre again) the lady from the Ville au Roi area phoned to say that she had felt so guilty overnight she had changed her mind. She would arrange it so the dogs could not get at Marigold and would take her back in her garden. That very same day Marigold was returned to the garden she so obviously wanted to live in and we are happy to say that for now this really is the end of her story. This story highlights how effectively the centre's tagging system works. Not only was Marigold found and identified but our records were also able to tell us how far she had travelled and what obstacles she had overcome. Marigold had also managed to gain weight so the food supply and hunting along the way must have been good. Hedgehogs are truly amazing little creatures, we must all continue to help them in every way we can. They are survivors! Click here for more information about the centre's post release monitoring (added 04/08/06)
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