Four hedgehogs find respite and joy in Dusseldorf's Garath area.
In a unique and educational initiative, the Montessori primary school on Emil-Barth-Straße in Düsseldorf, Germany, has taken on the task of caring for underweight hedgehogs. This project, similar to a previous one with quail chicks, aims to teach students about wildlife conservation.
The hedgehogs, which were moved to a garden house on the school grounds in December, needed to weigh at least 500 grams to survive the winter. The children were educated on the hedgehog's habitat, diet, and the difference between hibernation and torpor.
The main dangers for hedgehogs are roads and lawnmowers, making the school's efforts all the more significant. As nocturnal animals, these small creatures are most active during the night, increasing their vulnerability to these threats.
The children cared for the hedgehogs for several weeks, feeding them, weighing them, and cleaning their boxes. By the end of their care, four young hedgehogs had successfully survived their first winter.
The team from Haus Bürgel, along with the children, found suitable gardens or spots to release the hedgehogs into the wild. Celina Wicke from the Biological Station prepared the release of Schoki, one of the hedgehogs, with the children.
Schoki's small hut, food, and water were placed on the school grounds to help him gradually get used to his new surroundings and being self-sufficient. On Friday, May 9th, Schoki was relocated to a secluded corner of the schoolyard. A small tunnel was dug beforehand to allow Schoki to leave the school grounds and become accustomed to the neighborhood or the Kamp.
The project was funded by the Regional Association of Rhineland and will continue in 2025 with schools in Hilden and Monheim. By 2025, the Montessori students are expected to be so experienced that they could independently overwinter more hedgehogs.
This initiative not only provides a valuable learning experience for the students but also contributes to the conservation of local wildlife. The children got to say goodbye to Schoki before he was set free, marking a successful end to the school's hedgehog care project.
- The Montessori students are engaging in environmental-science education through their collaboration with underweight hedgehogs, learning about wildlife conservation and lifelong-learning within an online-education setting.
- The students at the Montessori primary school discovered the significance of science in supporting the environmental balance, as they gained knowledge about a hedgehog's habitat, diet, hibernation, and torpor.
- Beyond the conservation of local wildlife, the hedgehog care project serves as an opportunity for the education-and-self-development of the Montessori students, fostering their understanding of lifelong-learning and personal growth that extends beyond traditional schooling.
