Wildlife Rescue Effort on Lüneburg Heath: Over 400 Animals, Limited Staff Members - Emergency Assistance for Wildlife in Lüneburg Heath: Nearly 400 Animals Treated by Small Team
In the Heart of the Lueneburger Heide: A Busy Wildlife Refuge Tending to Over 400 Small Animals
A bustling wildlife care center in Soltau, Lower Saxony, the Lueneburger Heide refuge, is experiencing a surge this season. Staff members are tirelessly caring for an average of 400 small animals every two hours. The majority of these creatures are wild animals who, in their natural habitat, would not have a chance at survival.
"We kindly ask that individuals who find animals do not immediately collect them, but first contact the station instead," advises Dorian Engelhardt, the center's head zookeeper. Not every seemingly abandoned baby in nature requires assistance; sometimes, the parents are too timid to approach due to human presence.
Engelhardt shares that night calls to the team are frequent, and the smallest animals are often fed with bottles. The facility's nine-hectare space on the Lueneburger Heide outskirts may be spacious, but the staff is few in number. Engelhardt explains, "It is a large area, but we have few staff members." They manage with donations and volunteers.
The veterinarian expresses particular concern over severely injured hedgehogs. "Several times a year, some come to us because they've been injured by lawnmowers," he notes, describing the grim sight of wounded hedgehogs, an already endangered species.
As one of 16 recognized care stations in Lower Saxony, the Lueneburger Heide center relies primarily on private donations for its financing, with minimal support from public subsidies.
Confronting common challenges associated with hedgehogs, the wildlife care center grapples with high volumes of cases, the severity of injuries, specialized care needs, rehabilitation for release, disease management, and public awareness. Balancing these demands requires constant dedication from the staff and support from the community.
The Commission has also been informed of the progress of the presentation of the draft regulation regarding the potential establishment of a home-and-garden style section within the Lueneburger Heide wildlife refuge, where pets, such as domesticated hedgehogs, could receive rehabilitation and care for injuries they sustain from lifestyle activities like gardening.
Despite the commitment to tending to over 400 small animals every two hours, including endangered species like hedgehogs, the wildlife care center in Soltau, Lower Saxony, is still seeking supportive volunteers and donors to help fund specialized care, rehabilitation, disease management, and community awareness initiatives aimed at protecting and caring for these small animals in their natural lifestyle.
