Wildlife Conservation at Derby College

The Animal Care team at Derby College’s Broomfield Hall are holding two short courses to help local people care for hedgehogs and other wildlife this Autumn.

On Saturday October 15 between 9.30am and 11.30am children and young people aged 16 and under are invited to a ‘Hug a Hedgehog’ session where they can meet Broomfield’s resident hedgehogs and learn more about the animals from suitable feeding to making a garden more hedgehog friendly.

Then, between 12.30pm and 4.30pm on October 15, the team will welcome adults (16 and above) for the British Wildlife emergency first aid course – practising what to do if they found an injured wild animal, health checking and basic first aid for British species.

The courses is being run by zoologist Abby Bruce who was a veterinary nurse working in wildlife hospital before joining Derby College as an Animal Care lecturer.

She said: “Nationally, the hedgehog population is in decline so it is important that the next generation have awareness of how to look after these animals if they come into the garden, what to feed them on, signs of ill-health and what they should do if there is a problem. “The timing of the courses is also very important as gardeners tend to collect piles of autumn leaves which are natural habitats for these shy creatures who are then in particular danger from bonfires. “People on the course are also able to practice handling the hedgehogs that we have here in the Broomfield Hall animal care centre as well as what to do in an emergency situation with common wildlife casualties.” “Our resident hedgehogs have been injured and are therefore not able to be released back into the wild.  Tipsy has a head trauma and balance issues and Tripod has just three legs.”

For more information and to book a course, please visit www.derby-college.ac.uk or telephone 0800 028 0289.