A Polish Association for the Protection of Hedgehogs has been launched in the north-eastern city of Bialystok – the first in Poland and the second in Europe.
Jerzy Zembrowski, one of the organization's initiators, said he was moved by the plight of the small animals, which become more active in autumn as they work to build up fat for winter hibernation – and are defenseless against cars.
“Last year we found a hedgehog that had been hit by a car near our house. It couldn't walk. We took it home and it lived with us for a year and we became such good friends that when it died, we decided to do something to help these animals,” stated Zembrowski.
Hedgehogs are very useful as their basic menu consists of insects and rodents, and they will also eat vipers. Although they are a protected species, they often die under the wheels of cars or starve to death trapped in water trenches.
Aid for the hedgehog protection project has also been pledged from the National Forestry Association and the Regional Environmental Protection Office. (ek/mmj)