Letter: Hedgehog alert

From Edo Lin

Feedback regularly reports on useless advice provided by manufacturers on the
labels of their products.

However, you missed the advice given by Chris Mullin, the junior minister for
the environment, transport and the regions quoted by Tam Dalyell
(11 March, p 55).

Asked about the potential health threat posed by hedgehogs, the advice seems
to be not to handle hedgehog droppings. Ian Keymer, in the same report, says
young children in particular should refrain from handling them.

Now, as an avid amateur biologist and father myself, how do I tell my
children the difference between hedgehog droppings and anything else they may
happen to come across on the ground?

I have looked at several reference books and can find illustrations of deer,
fox, weasel and toad droppings but not a single reference or picture of hedgehog
things.

What we need here is either a poster campaign illustrating exactly what we
need to be afraid of or simply a message not to handle hedgehogs.

lin.edo@free.fr