Meet the Hedgehog Who Survived Injuries, Winters, and Half of East Sussex
A small mammal in southern England has logged more rescue center transfers, emergency vet visits, and neighborhood relocations than many people complete long-distance trips in a lifetime. The hedgehog, later named Houdini, first appeared on wildlife camera footage belonging to wildlife writer Kate Bradbury around 2022. The animal showed a partially missing leg with exposed bone. Local rescuers rarely expect survival with injuries that severe.
Capture attempts failed multiple times, and after two escapes, the nickname stuck. Eventually, Bradbury secured the hedgehog and transported him to veterinary care linked with Hurst Hedgehog Haven in Burgess Hill. Surgeons amputated the remaining damaged limb and treated additional facial injuries involving part of the nose. After recovery, Houdini returned to Bradbury’s garden near Brighton. Monitoring cameras later showed him moving through neighboring gardens and green corridors.
A Medical History That Kept Expanding
Life after surgery was complicated, and over several years, Houdini required treatment linked with ear infections, parasite issues, and a ruptured cyst. At one point, someone found him sleeping beneath a parked car and delivered him back to a rescue center. Records show he spent only about two hours back outdoors before another well-meaning passerby transported him to a veterinary clinic.
By late 2025, observers estimated he had survived close to eight winters, whereas wild hedgehogs average roughly five years. Aging signs include pigment loss and nose color changes, and his bright pink nose suggested advanced age for a wild individual.
The Winter Survival Problem
Image via Wikimedia Commons/CainieB
Winter creates severe pressure for hedgehogs; some hibernate, while others are active. Food shortages create risk, especially for animals carrying injuries. Bradbury and nearby residents turned her garden in Hove, East Sussex, into a controlled outdoor safe zone during colder months around late 2025.
The setup acts as a halfway environment between rescue housing and open wild territory. He receives regular feeding and dry straw bedding while still roaming an enclosed outdoor space. Road traffic remains a major threat, so residents continue planning expanded safe roaming areas extending into early spring seasons.
One Hedgehog Led To A Local Wildlife Network
Bradbury moved into her property roughly six years before 2025. At that time, the camera records showed a single visiting hedgehog. After habitat changes, neighborhood coordination, and local education campaigns, roughly 15 hedgehogs now pass through connected gardens.
Residents built access gaps in fences, maintained feeding points, and coordinated rescue transport when injured animals appeared. Social media groups helped organize monitoring and emergency response communication.
Houdini’s story is inspiring across East Sussex, and represents another checkpoint in a survival journey that has already lasted longer than experts initially expected.