The 'invasive' hedgehogs that will be removed from a picturesque Scottish island in Outer Hebrides

Almost £100,000 has been given to trap and relocate “invasive” hedgehogs from the Outer Hebrides.

A total of £97,840 was allocated from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund for the initiative, which will look to move every hedgehog on Benbecula, in Uist to the mainland.

Hedgehogs, which are not native to the islands, were introduced to Uist more than 50 years ago to control garden pests.

Hedgehogs are classed as vulnerable to extinction in Scotland, according to the Mammal Society (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA)

But their presence and increase in population on the islands over the years has led to “unexpected consequences”, the RSPB said.

The issues first emerged in the early 2000s, when it became clear they were finding prey beyond the garden.

Hedgehogs eat beetles, worms and slugs, but they can also take the eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds.

This includes the predation of birds who have since seen “severe declines”, including the dunlin, common ringed plover, common redshank, common snipe, northern lapwing, oystercatcher, and little tern.

A ringed plover adult standing among wild flowers at RSPB Balranald Nature Reserve on North Uist. | RSPB

Research done by NatureScot between 2012 to 2014 suggested 55 per cent of monitored nests in South Uist, where hedgehog numbers were high, failed.

Iain Macleod, NatureScot’s 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.”

There was an initial plan to cull the hedgehogs, but this was abandoned due to public outcry.

The initiative to move them all to the mainland is part of the wider Saving Uist Nature project, a three-way venture between RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and the Scottish SPCA.

Lapwing adult on machair on RSPB Balranald Nature Reserve in North Uist, Outer Hebrides. | RSPB

The partnership said it is developing “a world-first” for invasive species removal, using live-capture and translocation at scale.

The island has, however, had projects over the years to help relocate the hedgehogs.

It has been reported since 2001, some 2,441 hedgehogs have been removed.

Benbecula residents have spoken about how when they were at school in the 1990s and early 2000s, they would be given pocket money to catch a hedgehog and alert the person responsible for ferrying the animals back over to the mainland.

The initial phase of the partnership project, now in development, will test methods and remove hedgehogs from Benbecula, before scaling up to South Uist.

Part of the scheme will also involve monitoring 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 for 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.

“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.”