A female hedgehog was rescued from a drainpipe outside a house in Fforestfach, Swansea, after becoming stuck.
It is thought that the leucistic hedgehog was looking for a good hiding place from predators.
“It took a long time to get her out because of the angle of the drain and how far back she had gone,” says RSPCA animal collection officer Ellie West.
“Not to mention when a hedgehog is scared and they curl up, and it often makes them fill a drainpipe and with their spines sticking in all directions, so it makes it even more difficult to pull them through.”
The rescue took 40 minutes to complete, and involved West using a special wire kept in her van for such rescues, and fairy liquid to help slide the hedgehog out.
The hedgehog was taken to Gower Bird Hospital for assessment and rehabilitation, and will be released into the wild when she has recovered.
Hedgehogs can easily fall into uncovered drains or holes, and the RSPCA recommends covering the holes or checking them to ensure no animals have become trapped.
Main image: The hedgehog had become trapped in the drainpipe. © RSPCA Cymru
