JAM JAR ARMY: A stark warning on dangers of strimmers

A hedgehog was brought to the centre on Monday, May 1, with severe head injuries caused by a strimmer.
Olga the hedgehog, who was injured by a strimmer.Olga the hedgehog, who was injured by a strimmer.
Olga the hedgehog, who was injured by a strimmer.

The picture does look dreadful, but perhaps by showing people the result of not being more careful with garden machinery, we may prevent another hedgehog having to suffer the same dreadful fate.

The lady who brought Olga the hedgehog to us hadn’t used a strimmer, but did take a photograph to post to her neighbours in the hope they’ll be more vigilant in future.

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Olga was immediately given pain relief and antibiotics and the wound treated.

Afterwards she slept comfortably and has made excellent progress since.

The wound will take a great deal of time to heal, but in the meantime she’s eating well and gaining weight.

Whether she will be returned to the wild eventually is unknown at the moment and very much depends on whether the spines on her head regrow.

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If not, she would be too vulnerable and unable to protect herself and would be released into one of our safe, enclosed areas where we’ve had a great deal of success with disabled hedgehogs.

As previously reported, Prickles Retreat is an area of my garden devoted to hedgehogs who have a permanent disability and cannot be released back to the wild. We have created as near a natural environment as we can.

The area includes hedgehog houses filled with hay and I’ve planted many shrubs and grasses for cover, which hedgehogs love.