When should you rescue a hedgehog? An expert guide

Hedgehogs are the most rescued wild animal in the UK. Here’s our guide to help you know when they need to be rescued – and when it is best to leave them alone.

As the nights draw in our spiky friends are commonly seen snuffling around gardens at dusk. In the past, the public was advised to pick up underweight hedgehogs in autumn and keep them inside until spring, as it was thought that they couldn’t survive hibernation.

Ecologists now know that smaller hedgehogs can survive the winter.