Bernard was in the wrong place at the wrong time — but it wasn’t any fault of his own.
In November 2025, the little hedgehog had nestled himself into a pile of leaves and branches. But what Bernard didn’t know was that his chosen spot would become part of a bonfire built for Guy Fawkes Night, a celebration in the U.K.
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When the flames were lit, Bernard’s world suddenly ignited around him. The little hedgehog screamed for help. Thankfully, someone heard him.
“A member of the public heard the screaming sounds and saw the hedgehog running out to escape from the fire,” Suzi Kemp, the communications officer at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, England, told The Dodo.
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
When the woman reached him, Bernard had already done the only thing he knew to do.
“A hedgehog’s self-defence is to roll into a tight ball when they feel threatened or scared,” Kemp said. “Their sharp spikes will protect them from predators, so their tactic is to roll up and keep still until the threat has gone away. This is exactly what he did in this case, despite being in terrible pain and extreme stress from the situation.”
The woman gently scooped him up, wrapped him in a towel and placed him in a cardboard box. Then she rushed him to Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital.
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
The hospital team immediately saw just how serious Bernard’s injuries were.
“Bernard had severe burns to a large patch of his spines and the skin beneath when he arrived, and was also suffering from smoke inhalation and shock,” Kemp said. “The chances of survival from such extensive burn damage to his skin were very slim, but we are always optimistic and give each of our patients the very best chance possible. The first 24 hours were the most critical.”
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
Despite the odds being stacked against Bernard, the hospital team worked hard to save his life. For weeks, Bernard remained in intensive care. But then, he slowly got better. His strength returned. His appetite grew. And his protective spikes grew back.
Soon, Bernard was strong enough to move to an outdoor enclosure, where he is relearning how to be a wild hedgehog. According to Kemp, he “loves his food and enjoys snuggling up under a warm towel for a cosy daytime nap with a full belly.” She added that he is also “a surprisingly fast swimmer in his hydrotherapy sessions.”
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
Bernard is still at the hospital, but the team plans to release him back into the wild if they see he can successfully roll into a protective ball again. If he can’t roll into a ball, he may have to continue living in a semi-wild but protected space.
“Our team were all rooting for Bernard from the moment he came in, and it has been a joy to see his progress along the long road to recovery,” Kemp said. “To see shiny new spines regrowing was very satisfying. The bittersweet moment will be when we eventually have to say goodbye as he is returned back to the wild.”
Bernard is one of the lucky ones, but his story is a powerful reminder for the public to take measures to safeguard wildlife.
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
“We would like to remind people about the hazards these precious nocturnal mammals face in the wild when they encounter human habitats, and how we can all take small actions to prevent them from coming to harm,” Kemp said. “Keep football nets and other garden netting raised off the ground to prevent them getting tangled in them, put a ramp at the edge of your garden pond to provide an escape route to climb out if they get in your pond, check long grass for any wildlife before trimming or mowing, and if you’re having a bonfire, please build it on the day you’re going to light it and gently lift it to check for any wildlife that may have crept in.”
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