The Cinema Palace Lumière Altkirch and the Maison de la Nature du Sundgau (MNS) have chosen to shine a spotlight on a mammal that is both familiar and quite unknown: the hedgehog. After the screening of the documentary film “The Epic Journey of a Hedgehog”, directed by Guillaume Poyet in 2020, the nature animator of MNS François Jaeckel and Pauline Ruffenach, president of the association Chez Risson le Hérisson, will answer questions from the audience.
Pauline Ruffenach: “I am convinced of the interest in better knowing, to better protect”
As an animal caretaker, Pauline Ruffenach has been raising awareness of the environment in general and the cause of the hedgehog in particular since 2019. She opened her care center in Bussang, in the Vosges, in July 2022. This is where she answered our questions over the phone.
“Why is it important to raise awareness of hedgehogs among the general public?”
“It is necessary because not everyone is aware. I am convinced of the interest in better knowing, to better protect. This is the solution to teach the general public what to do when they find a hedgehog and hopefully reduce the number of rescues.”
“How is the hedgehog population doing?”
“It’s not great. Apparently, the population is declining. We often hear, at the stands we hold during events we participate in, people telling us they see fewer hedgehogs in their gardens than before. The hedgehog suffers from our way of life (road network, pesticides, robotic lawn mowers, falling into dug pools…) more and more in my opinion.”
Pauline Ruffenach: “For me, it is already threatened”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) moved it last year from the category of “least concern” to that of “near threatened” species. For me, it is already threatened. The hedgehog has existed since the time of mammoths, it has survived a lot, but our way of life is harming it.
“What should we do if we find an injured hedgehog?”
“We advise putting it in a shelter, in a box with newspaper at the bottom for example. You can pick it up with gloves and a cloth. You should try to warm it up to prevent hypothermia and check if it has been infested by flies laying eggs or flying around it. Then call a care center as soon as possible. We are here for that.”
Projection of the documentary film “The Epic Journey of a Hedgehog” by Guillaume Poyet at the Cinema Palace Lumièr Altkirch, Tuesday, May 5, at 8 p.m. Duration: 50 minutes, followed by an exchange. Single rate: €6.20.
