Summer fires reactivate hedgehog rescue unit in Spain’s Doñana

THE first summer wildfires to have razed parts of Doñana have prompted a hedgehog rescue operation to be put in place.

Wildfires take a devastating toll on local animals, and in order to protect injured wildlife due to the fires, the environmental group ‘Mujeres por Doñana’ (Women for Doñana), have reactivated their k-9 hedgehog rescue unit.

The unit of ‘hedgehog-saving’ dogs are canines especially trained by the environmental group ‘Mujeres por Doñana’, which help sniff out injured hedgehogs, for their subsequent treatment and care.

After a forest fire, some hedgehogs survive thanks to their ability to bury or hide in holes and small cracks in the ground, others however aren’t so lucky and suffer terrible wounds and severe dehydration.

Thanks to the work by the volunteers from the environmental group and their sniffer dogs, many of these seared hedgehogs are located and cared for at the Animal Sanctuary “Wendy Clements” of Chucenam.

Once recovered, the hedgehogs are returned to their natural habitat.

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