31/08/2026
🦔 Something is seriously wrong with some of the hoglets we are seeing this year
We have lost several hoglets in the past week alone, and sadly, they all had something very important in common.
All were found wandering around during daylight hours, with no obvious injuries.
Despite receiving dedicated care in hospital for at least three weeks, including treatment for every reasonable, treatable cause of failure to thrive, none gained weight or developed as they should. Eventually, despite everything we could do, they deteriorated to the point where euthanasia was necessary.
We want to make something very clear: we tried everything we could for these babies. Hundreds of pounds worth of medications, intensive nursing and supportive care were given to each one. Their post-mortems have sadly shown that this wasn’t a case of something being missed, or something we had done wrong. Their bodies were failing despite everything we could do to help them.
We post-mortem every animal we can because understanding why these young animals are dying is incredibly important. What we are finding is becoming increasingly concerning.
Of these hoglets, four had significant abnormalities involving their lymphatic system. They had markedly enlarged lymph nodes associated with the small intestine and mesentery, with some also showing enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck. One was diagnosed with juvenile lymphoma — cancer of the white blood cells.
Two other hoglets had multi-organ hypoplasia. In simple terms, several of their internal organs had failed to develop properly. In one case, the heart was the only organ that had developed normally.
Unfortunately, this is a problem we have been seeing repeatedly in hoglets. These animals can eat, drink and receive intensive care, but their bodies simply haven’t developed properly, leaving them unable to grow and thrive.
We cannot say with 100% certainty that environmental conditions are responsible. Proving a direct cause would require much more investigation. But we are becoming increasingly concerned that there is a connection.
This year we have experienced prolonged drought, extreme heat and exceptionally dry conditions. Natural water sources have disappeared or reduced dramatically, while the availability of the invertebrates hedgehogs depend upon for food is also being severely affected.
For a tiny hoglet, this can be devastating. They are still developing, have enormous nutritional requirements and an immune system that is still maturing. If their mothers are struggling to find sufficient food and water, could we be seeing the consequences in the next generation?
When we repeatedly see young, apparently uninjured hedgehogs found in daylight, dehydrated and failing to grow despite intensive care, and then discover significant abnormalities after death, we cannot ignore the pattern.
These aren’t isolated animals from one garden or one small area. We are seeing similar problems in hoglets coming into Wildlives from different locations.
We are also keen to investigate the potential role of microplastics. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) has raised concerns about microplastics and their potential impact on hedgehogs. While research is ongoing, they continue to advise supplementary feeding with good-quality, meat-based dog or cat food where appropriate.
The hoglets we have post-mortemed were not being supplementary fed. However, with natural food becoming so scarce, we cannot rule out the possibility that desperate animals may be consuming things they wouldn’t normally eat. Microplastics are now found throughout our environment, and this warrants further investigation.
Nottingham Trent University is currently conducting research in this area, and Wildlives will be sharing our findings in the hope that we can begin to understand what is happening to these young hedgehogs.
For now, please put out fresh water for wildlife wherever you can. In these conditions, a shallow dish of clean water can quite literally make the difference between life and death.
And if you find a hedgehog out during the day, please don’t assume it is simply out exploring. Pick it up and ring for advice.
We are increasingly worried about what this exceptionally harsh year is doing to our wildlife. 🦔💔
