Hibernating hedgehogs rescued from flooding

Mammals believe it’s springtime now that they are in their cosy new home

A woman is sharing her home with 30 hedgehogs saved from floods in Fife.

Nadia Al-dujaili had to rescue the hibernating mammals from a sanctuary which she runs from her home in Rosyth.

Her garden was knee-deep in water when heavy rain and melting snow combined to bring floods across the region on Tuesday.

The hedgehogs, which were kept in a special shed and runs in Nadia’s garden, were woken from their winter slumber by the drama.

However, they are now safe and warm in her living room and kitchen, no worse for their ordeal.

Nadia, who runs the charity Forth Hedgehog Hospital which takes in poorly and injured mammals, is yet to establish the state of the shed, which was only erected last autumn thanks to an online crowdfunder to replace a previous shed also damaged by water.

The area of Rosyth where she lives was badly flooded, with children carried from nearby Park Road Primary School when its playground was submerged.

She said: “At about 9am I looked out of the window and saw it starting and I knew it was going to be bad.

“I had to wade through the water to the hedgehogs which were hibernating in their pens and enclosures.

“I now have 30 of them in the house. They and their equipment have taken over the living room and kitchen!

“They are awake now that they have come into the house and the warmth. They think my house is spring.”

Nadia said the animals, both adults and juveniles, would be unharmed by being roused early from their slumber.

She said: “It won’t affect their health or their chances of being released back into the wild.

“Hibernation is not essential, it’s a survival technique for times when there is not a lot of food.”

The shed was still flooded yesterday, so the extent of the damage caused is yet to be established.

Meanwhile, youngsters returned to Park Road primary yesterday following a clear-up operation.

Across the region, roads remained affected by flooding. Hilton Road in Rosyth was closed at the junction with Somerville Road, as was the Q8 Dairsie Bridge to Strathkinness road was closed.

Others flooded but passable with care were the C48 at Muirhead, the B9171 at Easter Pitcorthie and the C65 St Andrews to Pitscottie.

The A912 Strathmiglo to New Inn and A916 Struthers bends to Letham Feus were still restricted by snowdrifts but passable.

Picture: Steven Brown. Nadia Al-dujaili with one of the hedgehogs she rescued.