JAM JAR ARMY: Sharing knowledge with French cousins

On January 13, we received a request from the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, which, as well as protecting birds as the name suggests, also runs seven wildlife centres in France.
Carole Catchpole with Breeze the hedgehog.Carole Catchpole with Breeze the hedgehog.
Carole Catchpole with Breeze the hedgehog.

Their email explained they would like to discuss with us the care practices for wild animals with the aim of making modifications and/or additions to their protocols to ensure the animals get the best possible care.

A list of well-laid-out questions were asked, covering many areas of care with details of their current practices.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The contact person, who was English, was a member of the Administration Council for the Alsace delegation working in their centre in Rosenwiller, which made the reply so much easier as my French is extremely limited.

In a fleeting moment, I wondered if a trip to France to give advice first-hand would be more beneficial than a written reply, but I was over-ruled!

I was given very detailed information of the work already being carried out at the centres, which was excellent, and this enabled me to add to their knowledge based on our own experiences which I hope proves useful.

It’s very beneficial sharing information to help these iconic animals who are in such serious decline – there is always something new to learn.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was really enjoyable hearing from this dedicated rescue in Rosenwiller as we do have a great deal in common with our French counterparts; our hedgehogs are erinaceus Europaeus, the same as their French cousins.

By the time you read this week’s Gazette, our new website will be launched and hopefully being enjoyed by all, especially as it can now be viewed on mobiles and tablets as well as laptops.

We are extremely grateful to Angela and her two colleagues for the time spent bringing it all together with the aim of informing and educating the public about hedgehogs and the work we do here to help them.

Take at look at www.hedge hogs-northumbria.orgl The hedgehog trust and Abbeyfield House in Alnwick are the joint beneficiaries of the current Jam Jar Army campaign. Return full jars to the Gazette office.