Uist nature receives vital funding boost

A pioneering project to help save Uist nature has received a vital boost from the Nature Restoration Fund.

The first part of an ambitious project to save wildlife in Uist has been awarded £97,840 from the Nature Restoration Fund for the development of a pioneering strategy to move hedgehogs to the Scottish Mainland, as part of the Saving Uist Nature project. This funding will support a critical part of the project, which seeks to remove invasive hedgehogs from Benbecula through humane live capture and translocation. 

The Saving Uist Nature project, a partnership between RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Scottish SPCA, aims to stem the decline in the numbers of internationally and nationally important populations of ground-nesting birds which the islands support. Hedgehogs, which were introduced to Uist over 50 years ago to control garden pests, have led to unexpected consequences, resulting in severe declines in birds such as Dunlin, Common Ringed Plover, Common Redshank, Common Snipe, Northern Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Little Tern. The predation of nests by hedgehogs is a significant and removable conservation threat to the island’s breeding birds. 

The partnership is developing a world-first for invasive species removal, using live-capture and translocation at scale, with plans to relocate the hedgehogs to the Scottish Mainland. The initial phase of the project, now in development, will test methods and remove hedgehogs from Benbecula, before scaling up to South Uist. The project will also thoroughly consider how Uist hedgehogs will be released to ensure they do not have a detrimental impact on the mainland native hedgehog population. 

Kenna Chisholm, North Highland and the Hebrides Area Manager, RSPB Scotland, said

“This project is responding to a unique situation where a species of conservation concern that is native to the UK mainland is invasive on Uist, and its presence has led to declines in important bird populations. Taking action is critical to protect remarkable wildlife here in Uist and ensure the best possible outcomes for the hedgehogs which will be relocated and the mainland population.”   

The project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot. The funding will enable the project to develop the Hedgehog Release Strategy over the next 12 months.  

Kenna Chisholm continued

“We know nature is in serious trouble across Scotland and it is vital we take action to protect native wildlife. We now have a vital boost for development of this pioneering new approach which will allow us to respond to the urgent conservation needs of both hedgehogs and birds alike.”   

Iain Macleod, NatureScot Operations Manager for West Scotland, said

“The evidence is clear that introduced hedgehogs are having an extremely damaging impact on native wading birds and other wildlife on Uist. Tackling the impacts of invasive non-native species is a key priority of Scotland’s new biodiversity strategy and this funding will allow Saving Uist Nature to step up its vital work to provide the help that ground-nesting birds and other native wildlife in Uist desperately need.   

“Projects such as this are complex and need careful planning and preparation to be successful. The next stage will focus on how we can secure these benefits for native wildlife while ensuring that no harm comes to the hedgehogs that are moved or the mainland population they will join.” 

Hedgehog and animal welfare experts will input into the strategy which will define how and where Uist hedgehogs will be released on the Scottish Mainland. The Strategy is vital in understanding the requirements for release, to ensure that Uist animals will have no detrimental impact to the mainland population and to provide Uist hedgehogs with the highest chance of survival once translocated. This will be groundbreaking for hedgehog conservation, having the potential to transform future releases of hedgehogs.  

Scottish SPCA Wildlife Operations Lead Sean Meechan said

"As a non-native invasive species to Uist, hedgehogs have a detrimental impact on the important breeding populations of ground nesting birds on the island. This project provides a unique opportunity to reduce that impact while also working to preserve populations of hedgehogs as a threatened species.  

The funding for this project is essential to allow the Saving Uist Nature project to carry out important conservation work and improve the welfare of native populations by the removal of invasive species.  It also ensures the provision of a robust relocation plan through a release strategy that ensures the best welfare possible for the hedgehogs and considers the potential impact of all animals including those existing populations within the mainland and potential release sites." 

Pic credit: A Robertson