Rescued hedgehog gives birth to five healthy hoglets in Whitby
A hedgehog that needed help after it was found caught in netting has surprised its rescuer by giving birth to five healthy hoglets.
A woman in Whitby came to the hedgehog's aid after she found it struggling on Tuesday (25 May). While she did her best to remove all the netting, there was still some attached to its hind leg. The prickly customer was put into a hutch with food and water, a heat pad and blankets.
The woman wanted to get help this morning, but when she checked the hedgehog had given birth overnight.
The mother and her babies have been transferred to the care of the Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary.
The mother is being given pain relief and antibiotics which will not harm her young. The sanctuary is urging people to make sure all netting, including the types used for sport and gardening, is tied off the ground so it does not pose a threat to wildlife.