Hedgehog Rescued from Storm Tank by South West Water Staff

A routine site inspection turned into an unexpected rescue after South West Water colleagues Joe Martin and George Cane discovered a young hedgehog stranded at the bottom of an underground storm tank near Blackawton, close to Dartmouth.

It is extremely rare for wildlife to end up inside storm tanks, which are designed with barriers to prevent access. However, hedgehogs are known to be strong climbers, able to scale fences of up to six feet. In this case, the hedgehog, later named Aquarius, managed to climb the safety railings and enter the empty tank.

Joe Martin, Recovery & Treatment Area Manager for Wastewater Services, said:
“I was walking the site as part of routine checks when I spotted a small ball of spikes down in the tank. Thankfully the storm tank was empty despite the recent rain. We improvised with a telescopic sampling pole, a bucket and a hoe to scoop him to safety.

“He looked cold and slow, so we moved him somewhere quiet and even tried feeding him worms. We contacted the charity ‘Prickles in a Pickle’ because we thought we might need some expert help.”

📷George and Joe with Aquarious

Home for a Hog

After the rescue, Joe and George created a temporary carrier using a cardboard box and dry vegetation found on site. They then drove Aquarius to a hedgehog rescue centre in Stoke Fleming.

Alan and Judy, who run the charity Prickles in a Pickle from their home, took Aquarius in and carried out an assessment. The sanctuary cares for up to 200 hedgehogs at any one time and around 1,000 each year.

Judy, co-founder of Prickles in a Pickle, said: “When Aquarius arrived he was very cold, thin, dehydrated and wobbly. He weighed just 260g.

“Thanks to Joe and George’s quick thinking, he’s now doing really well! He’s doubled his weight to 540g. He has a poorly hind leg that’s improving and some internal parasites we’re treating, so he’ll be staying with us over Christmas.

“We reunited him with Joe and George who wanted to visit and check on his recovery a few days ago. They’ve grown attached to the little chap and couldn’t believe how much he’d grown. Aquarius might not have survived Christmas, but thanks to these two, he will be happily fattening himself up even more.”

The charity is currently fundraising to build a dedicated hedgehog hospital, allowing them to move out of the founders’ home and help even more animals in need.

📷Aquarius having a sleep

Making the Site Safer

Following the incident, South West Water has made additional changes at the Blackawton site to further secure the storm tank and prevent any future wildlife from gaining access.

“It’s made our Christmas knowing Aquarius is on the mend,” added Joe. He’s a tough little character, but let’s hope he’s less ‘adventurous’ in the future!”

Aquarius is expected to be released close to where he was found in the New Year once he has fully recovered. Until then, he will be spending Christmas safely indoors, snuggled up in his favourite Christmas hat.

📷Aquarius in the storm tank

📷Aquarious