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September 2020 September 2020

OBITUARIES SEEING RED FOR HEDGEHOGS

Elaine was a great animal lover, not only dogs, but sheep and cows,
they were a very big part of her life. She would go to see her Hedgehogs are now officially
Herefords each day to see if they were ok. If they didn’t feel like getting up on the Red List of endangered
then Elaine would sit down with them, talk to them for a bit and then when species published by the
she got up to leave they would follow her up the field to see her go. Sadly Mammal Society in July 2020.
because of TB they had to be destroyed, this was a very bad time for Elaine. Hedgehogs are categorised on
Most of the sheep had names and their families go back to Gracie and the list as Vulnerable to
Bathsheba which were Elaine’s first sheep, Poll Dorset’s. Extinction, which means there is
still sufficient numbers for the
population to return to healthy
numbers again. But that is
Rev Charles and wife Felicity, sent this:
purely up to us. We have been
We all have our treasured memories of this remarkable lady; responsible for their decline
and if we don’t act now,
Even before we arrived in Bere Regis, we heard that Elaine had been hedgehogs could soon be lost Photo: Colin Varndell
diagnosed and yet throughout our time she always appeared resilient, taking forever. Our children, their
life as a matter of course; what an example! No fuss, no fripperies, just honest, children and all future generations will learn about hedgehogs in the same way
loving kindness and helpfulness. that we learnt about woolly mammoths and dinosaurs.
As the leader of the Flowers Team, she always brought out the best in others, Hedgehogs face many dangers and need our help. Loss of suitable habitat in the
encouraging rather than interfering. She would always fulfil any task countryside has driven them into our towns and villages as their last refuge. Here
undertaken. they face problems with rats, rodenticides, dog bites and increased risk of traffic
accidents. The latest figures for hedgehog road traffic accidents (RTAs) has been
We remember the wonderful Flower and Quilting Festival, produced by a
team led by Elaine, and supported enthusiastically by her most loyal estimated at between 167-335,000 hedgehogs killed annually in GB.
companion, Adrian. Many people across the rural county of Dorset are going out of their way to help
the hapless hedgehog. Inspired and led by the Dorset Mammal Group, residents
Often, I would see Elaine driving down the road to visit her beloved sheep.
She would give me a wave and a smile. She had a natural way with her, even in towns and villages are developing hedgehog friendly streets by making holes
accepting bad news with reality. I always sensed she had what I call a in, or under, garden fences and walls for hedgehogs to pass through. Gardeners
‘natural faith’ loving the beauty of the rural landscape and the animals and are also encouraged to adopt hedgehog friendly activities by not using slug
plants within it. pellets and leaving areas of rough ground where hedgehogs can forage. Log
and brushwood piles are being created for hedgehogs and many residents are
Most of all, it is the partnership between Elaine and Adrian that we most want offering supplementary food and water.
to celebrate today. They have always been there for one another, a deep
love, respect and appreciation of one another. It In addition to these measures, which anyone can do, there is a growing army of
has been the privilege for us to have been allowed volunteer hedgehog rescues, carers and rehabilitators, looking after sick, injured,
to be part of their lives; thank you both! orphaned or underweight hedgehogs across Dorset.
The Mammal Society has estimated that hedgehogs may have declined by as

much as 73% in the last twenty years. Please help your town or village to become
more hedgehog friendly, and if you care about hedgehogs and want to help
them, get in touch with the Dorset Mammal Group at
hedgehogs@dorsetmammalgroup.org.uk.
Colin and Susy Varndell

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