Bald Hedgehog Named Olly Becomes Wildlife Charity Star

A hedgehog that looks "like a rolled up sock" is melting hearts and raising funds for wildlife rescue in Devon, England.

Olly lost every single one of his 7,000 spines after developing ringworm in the wild. For the past four months, he's been recovering at Prickles in a Pickle, a wildlife rescue charity in Stoke Fleming run by co-founder Judy Thompson from her home.

Despite weighing about 2.2 pounds and resembling "a very large potato," Olly has become the charity's star ambassador. His unique appearance is helping people understand what hedgehogs without their protective spines actually look like, and why they need help.

Olly's recovery has involved regular spa-like treatments including anti-fungal baths, skin hydration therapy, and pain relief. Lauren Jennings, a veterinary surgeon at Dart Vale Veterinary Group in Totnes, calls it "a lengthy process" to restore his dried-out skin.

The charity chose Olly to front their latest fundraising campaign with a meaningful goal: raising £7,000, roughly one pound for each spine a healthy adult hedgehog should have. Those spines, each about one inch long, serve as the hedgehog's main defense against predators.

Sunny's Take

Olly's story reveals just how vulnerable wildlife can be and how much dedicated people can accomplish. In 2025 alone, Prickles in a Pickle has cared for 946 hedgehogs, with parasitic illnesses accounting for about half of all admissions.

Thompson emphasizes that while Olly has improved dramatically, his welfare remains the top priority. Without prickles, he can never return to the wild, making him "essentially a poorly hedgehog, even though the only poorliness he has is that he hasn't got any clothes on."

The charity works closely with veterinarians to rehabilitate injured and sick hedgehogs, aiming to return them close to where they were found. Most people have never seen a spineless hedgehog, which is exactly why Olly's ambassadorship matters so much for raising awareness.

One brave little hedgehog is proving that even without armor, you can still make a big difference.