Hi 5sandown
Yes, the advice now is:
“hedgehogs can be successfully released back into the wild over winter. As long as they have reached a suitable weight as they are still able to hibernate naturally.”
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/guidance-on-releasing-rehabilitated-hedgehogs/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10344-018-1244-4
Extract from the above:
“we recommend that wildlife rehabilitators can release rehabilitated hedgehogs during winter if the criteria used for release are similar to those used in this study. That is, hedgehogs should weigh over 600 g, have passed a veterinary health check, are soft-released in areas where the individuals were originally found or suburban areas without main roads and badgers, and during periods of mild weather (> 0 °C) over winter.”
Also, importantly, from the first link above:
“The British Hedgehogs Preservation Society (BHPS), along with other key organisations like the RPSCA, have produced guidance for rehabilitated hedgehogs. The report is based on published research by Dr Nigel Reeve and Dr Pat Morris. They advise that hedgehogs should, whenever possible, be released from the same site at which they were found.”
