Bayreuth environmental office issues hedgehog wintering guidance

The Office for Environmental and Climate Protection in Bayreuth is providing guidance to animal lovers regarding the care of hedgehogs during the autumn and winter months. Officials advise that intervention should generally be limited to hedgehogs that are severely injured or significantly underweight.

Experts note that hedgehogs are wild animals that naturally forage for food until temperatures consistently drop below freezing to build fat reserves for hibernation. It is recommended that animals weighing less than 400 grams should not be taken into care before the beginning of November, as they may still be able to gather sufficient fat on their own. Under the Federal Nature Conservation Act, injured or sick animals may be taken in for care but must be released back into the wild as soon as they are self-sufficient.

To support local hedgehog populations, residents are encouraged to create suitable habitats by using native plants, maintaining flower meadows instead of uniform lawns, and leaving autumn leaves in gardens to provide winter shelter.