Sniffing out the hogs
Specially trained sniffer dogs are now being used in the hunt to search and locate hedgehogs in the Uists. The Uist Wader Project (UWP) are using the dogs as part of an ongoing drive to rid the Western Isles of the non-native hedgehogs. Research has shown that hedgehogs have caused severe damage to the biodiversity of the Uists and Benbecula by eating the eggs of internationally important populations of wader birds. Dog handler Stephen Robinson is in place to help the team along with his golden labrador Misca. The dog is fully trained and will be used mainly on the moorland to the east side of Benbecula and parts of North Uist. She’s expected to be extremely effective, especially in those areas where hedgehogs are thin on the ground and the terrain is tough going for the project's 16 trappers. And Stephen has just got a second dog, Guss, who’s only a few months old, but will also be trained to search out hedgehogs. “We’ve already contacted many crofters and landowners to find out if they’re willing for a dog to search part of their croft land,” explained Gwen Evans, the UWP manager, “and we have more people still to contact. “Before we appointed Stephen, we needed to be sure that Misca was suitable for the job, especially around livestock. So we carried out extensive testing and I’m pleased to say that Misca passed with flying colours.” Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn believes that the use of dogs to help trace the hedgehogs should prove effective. “Our local inspector has been involved in observing the training and handling of the dogs,” he remarked, “and we’re very satisfied that the operation does not pose any risk to the hedgehogs' welfare.”
Misca will be used in the continuing drive to trap and remove the hedgehogs from the islands. So far this year the number caught in Benbecula stands at just four, which represents significant progress with the trapping effort and a dwindling population of hedgehogs.
Fieldwork currently involves live-trapping and lamping to detect hedgehogs. Uist Hedgehog Rescue then take the animals to the mainland where they’re released by Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust. For more information about the UWP or to report any hedgehog sightings on North Uist and Benbecula, please phone 01870 620 300 or email
uwp@snh.gov.uk.
14 The Nature of Scotland
NEWS
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