Hedgehog dies from ‘being unable to curl as a result of university survey’
A hedgehog was attached with so many trackers as part of a university survey that it died from being unable to curl, according to animal welfare groups.
The animal, named Russet, was covered in huge, brightly coloured antennae and with a transmitter strapped to his back when he was found on June 17.
Charities say scientists left him looking like a “bad joke” after they fixed 26 markers to his spine and a radio tracker on his back.
Hedgehogs have no distinctive markings so researchers glue fluorescent markers to the rodents to identify them in studies.
But the Nottingham Trent University survey of the abundance of hogs in Southwell, Notts., left Russet dehydrated, underweight and with broken toes on one foot.
Covered: The hedgehog had been attached with 26 markers to his spine (SWNS)
He eventually died despite attempts to treat him by Lynda Britchford, from Oxton Wild Hedgehog Rehab.
She fumed: “Sticking 30 brightly coloured long reflective tubes on them makes them stick out like a sore thumb - particularly to unscrupulous kids or adults, and potentially to predators.”
Russet also had mange, severe colitis and intestinal fluke and he was unable to curl up following the research.
The woman who found him, who did not want to be named, said: "He looked distressed and I think he was a bit wobbly.
"We thought either he’d been rolling in wire and got it stuck to him or somebody had thought it was funny to put Christmas tree lights or something around him.
"When my husband went to get him to pick him up he couldn’t curl up, he couldn’t curl and protect himself, so that upset us because we thought, there’s something wrong there.”
Trackers: The hedgehog was unable to curl up following the research (SWNS)
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) defended the study, which it part funded, claiming it couldn’t have interfered with the well-being of hedgehogs.
Hugh Warwick, who works for the BHPS, said: “The heat-shrink plastic tags that are now the standard marking technique do not require plastic to be melted onto the spines and cause the hedgehog no trouble at all.
"It is not far off humans getting hair-extensions.”
Nottingham Trent University added: “The animal is completely unhindered and able to go about its activities - such as feeding and breeding - in the usual way.
"Research is crucial to furthering our understanding of the threats hedgehogs face and to develop appropriate responses to those.”
Top pic: SWNS
