“QUesto small animalwho seems to be repulsive because of his spines who are his only defense, He is disappearing from our countryside where he is however an indispensable gourmet of all those insects that ruin our lives“ Speaking of the hedgehog And these are the words of a wonderful ninety year old, the French actress Brigitte Bardotwhich created the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the welfare and protection of animals.
Let’s save the hedgehog, for our good
The tireless activist signs the preface toFrench edition of the comic 75 kg of happiness, which tells the story of‘Meeting between little Riccia Orfana Ninna and the veterinarian Massimo Vacchetta. Ninna changed Massimo’s existence, who saved her life. And in this moving and fun book, the story is narrated from the point of view of the graceful animal. “The curls are not loved,” writes BB, but “the life of a hedgehog or a curly must be protectedits disappearance would be a further sacrilege inflicted by human beings in the animal world “.
Yes, why These little mammals are at risk because of us. Despite being survival samples: in their current form They have been present on the planet for 15 million years, that is, well before us Sapiens. But they are drastically falling. In Great Britain, where there is monitoring, they went from 30 million in the seventies to about 800 thousand in 2018. There are no data on their presence in Italy, but theInternational Union for the conservation of nature denounces a drop from 16 to 33 percent in the last 10 years in Europeand inserted them into the list of risk species.
“La ninna”: a life for the curls
Since 2014, the Veterinarian Massimo Vacchetta, 57 years old, founder of Ricci Recovery Center “La Ninna”of Novello (Cuneo), instills money and energy to save these animals. Together with his staff – seven employees – and to volunteers, welcomes injured animals and orphaned puppies, he takes care of them and frees them (mortality is 20 percent).
The liberation of a hedgehog in the “La Ninna” Center (photo: Elisa Confortini)
At the moment there are about 300 patientsincluding disabled people who are no longer able to return to an autonomous life because they have serious impairments. As Pupilla, a ricine that had a muzzle translated by a brushcutter And he could no longer chew. “It came from us four years ago, we had it with baby food and survived,” says Vacchetta. “He was sociable and adored by everyone. He had a tumor, which we worked, recovered and lived another eight months».
Vacchetta made a miracle: This structure, which in 11 years has seen over 3500 curls transit, is financed only by donations. “While living in close contact with suffering, I would never come back,” he says. “I am lucky: what I do gives me a purpose: to be alongside the weakest”. A curiosity: all the guests at the ninna have a name. «Every living being is special, giving him a name we recognize his dignity and individuality. Each hedgehog has its own character»Explains Vacchetta.
How long does a hedgehog live?
Up to 7-10 years. Although due to the problems caused by humans today reaches 1-3 years. At birth, about twenty grams weighs, it can go up to 1 kg from adult and a length of 20 cm. They are fast animals: in one night-they are night-they can travel 2-3 km. The puppies reach maturity in a year.
What do you eat?
It is omnivorous, even if mostly consumes insects: cockroaches, scissors, earthworms, larvae. It can also feed on roots, animal carcasses and bird eggs. If you see one turn in the garden, avoid giving it bread, which stops in the throat, or cow’s milk, because it is not able to digest it and dies of indigestion. The cat’s crunchies are fine.
A stadium -sized hedgehog of his meal in the center La Ninna. (Photo: Elisa Confortini)
Can you recognize the people who help him?
As an animal of the undergrowth, it does not require acute view. Instead, it is equipped with a prodigious hearing and smell. It seems that he can hear the vibrations of the earthworms at 1 meter underground! He knows how to recognize people from the smell and is aware of those who help him. There are cases of cured curls, freed and returned to the front door when they had problems.
Does climate change impact on curls?
Yes. They cannot adapt to quick temperature changes. Excessive heat causes a death for thermal shock and dehydration. In case of drought, two or three days without finding water can be lethal. The heat, such as pesticides and other chemicals, then affect the population of insects, which has collapsed over the years, then struggle to find food. The continuation of the heat causes a dilation of the reproductive season. In the past, the puppies in our latitudes were born until August, now in September there may be a second litter. These little ones are unable to take enough weight to hibernate. 90 percent, they die. A hedgehog must weigh at least 700-800 gr in order to sleep for a long time. An example? We found the Totò puppy in January, desperate and very thin, weighed 230 gr. We put it in an incubator, with the flebo, and recovered. The heat can make even difficult to fall asleep even for adults, inducing awakenings when the temperature reaches 10 degrees, even in January. If they wake up, they need a lot of energy to be able to re -sleep.
A hedgehog during an ultrasound at the “La Ninna” recovery center.
What does the hedgehog for the ecosystem represent?
He is a sentinel of the state of health of the environment, because he lives in close contact with the ground and is small; So if there are pollutants weigh more on his health. Where the number is reduced, the environment is not suitable for us.
In addition to the heat, what are the other causes of mortality?
The trauma, caused by cars on the street. If they hear a noise they tear to save themselves and so they are invested. In the gardens of the houses and in the parks, where more and more often they come to stay because their space in the countryside is very reduced, they risk being injured by a brushcutter. Then there are diseases: with the loss of habitat, they find less food and eat, for example, the snails that transmit parasites. They get sick if they drink water from a polluted pool with a herbicide or pesticide. In the ground can find plastics, but also PFAS (artificial chemical compounds), which inhibit the immune system. On the increase in parasitic diseases, we are collaborating on a study with the Veterinary Sciences Department of the University of Turin, together with four other universities, to understand the causes of mortality.
The number of curls is drastically falling. In Great Britain there were 30 million in the seventies; In 2018 they had dropped to 800 thousand. (Getty Images)
Can dogs be dangerous too?
Some dogs with a strong predatory instinct attack the curls and hurt them, while risking getting hurt. When these small animals live between the gardens of villas and terraced houses, another element of risk are the fences: they can remain stuck or not to be able to move. In England 10 centimeters are opened every 2 or 3 meters in the fences to let the curls pass. As for swimming pools, animals that have a poor view fall inside and drown. There are inflatable islands to be positioned that help them save themselves.
In an ideal habitat, where would this animal live?
It makes its nest in ravines and under the bushes. The hunting ground is the lawn with a little herbs that keep the ground more humid and attract insects. If you find a nest with the puppies, move away: if the mother frightens, it could escape and not return, and they would starve.
On the internet you can see domesticated curls. Is it possible?
European curls are protected and it is forbidden to keep them at home. If you can help them, but avoid that they become too confident. The risk is that they get too close to another human that could drive them away by hurting them. Instead, the African breeding curls are marketed, but they are delicate. If they freed or run away, they cannot survive because they don’t hibernate.
A hospital all for them
Massimo Vacchetta in its recovery center “La Ninna” with Riccia Alice
With a donation for the center, you receive the book
A book can help maximum cowhide to make a dream come true: transform the lullaby into a hospital hospital with more personal, more specialties, an operating room And accommodation for volunteers who deal with sick curls. With a minimum donation of 25 euros (Laninna.org/75kg-di- Felicita), you will receive a copy of the Italian edition of the comic 75 kg of happiness (the nib), illustrated by Roberta Morucci e With preface by Bruno Bozzetto and the musician Brian May of Queen, founder of a recovery center for Ricci in England. The French edition, with the preface by Brigitte Bardot, also aims to help save the lives of these small spinous and useful mammals.
What to do if you find a wounded hedgehog
Prompt intervention
1. If you find a wounded curl or that stagger during the day, it means that it is in difficulty.
2
3. Lift it with a rag or a piece of paper, put it in a box with a bottle of hot water and a blanket.
4. Contact a veterinarian, or The lullaby If you are in Piedmont, or a crasi (wild animal recovery center).
5. If you have a garden, leave water and crunchies for him.
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