Our province has two of the eight recognized wildlife shelters: in Ostend and Beernem. Last year, more than 41,000 animals were brought into all shelters together, an increase of 8 percent. Three quarters of them are birds.
Striking: the hedgehog loses its leading position. In 2025, 5,565 hedgehogs were collected, about 30 percent fewer than the previous year. The wood pigeon is now number one, with 8,161 copies.
