Your backyard may be hoarding something precious or bizarre that you may have never thought possible to be found. Every one of us feels that we know our property and our space really well, but if you take a closer look, who knows, even your backyard could be holding onto something strange as this family did! This woman one day saw that there was a weird object in her backyard. She decided to dig it up and when she took a closer inspection, her expectations were blown away...
And so when this lady found this item, she was incredibly shocked to learn that there was something this incredible lying in her own backyard. We have heard of some people discovering relics buried in their property and it is always a pleasant surprise. Even this woman was shocked to see this on her property as it was so unusual. But it was not something she expected it to be...
If ever you found something mysterious in your backyard, it would be the common step to take to try and find out what it is. Although this woman was a little weirded out to spot this item in her property, she knew she had to dig up and see for sure what it was. As soon as she picked it up and flipped it over, she got goosebumps. She realized that she was going to need some extra help right away...
This woman was right to have assumed that the item she found in her property was a relic from ancient times. Given the fact that the place she lived in was a historic market town of Bishop’s Stortford, England, there should be so many items left behind since it was a place of Roman settlement. It was then taken over by the Saxon community leading it to become an excavation spot for several Britons.
Since this was a place of settlement for the ancient Romans, there have been various incidents wherein ancient relics have been discovered in this village. So the lady had expected that even the same case had happened to her. Her property was more or less in the area where the Romans had lived in the past so she was certain that a relic or two was bound to be found.
So who is this lady who made an incredible discovery in her own backyard? Well, she is a 49-year-old named Lynne Garner. She is actually a nature enthusiast who is quite fond of the countryside. She was also raised in Bishop’s Stortford too. Since she enjoyed the place where she grew up quite a lot, she made a promise to herself that she would not live far away from it ever.
Lynne was also a huge fan of the outdoors, so she was always out and about. She would go out so much that some would even joke saying that she knew this town like the back of her hand. In just a matter of years, she also became a non-profit organization’s founder. However, nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to find out that day...
So what was the organization that she founded? Her organization was called Herts Hogline. This was also her pride and joy. She made sure to do right by the non-profit organization. They also had a mission statement which was to basically look after forest animals and get them back to the English countryside. The animals are actually part and parcel of the country’s natural heritage as well.
Also, there was another thing that happened. There was a campaign launched that aimed to turn one of these creatures into the town’s national animal. This town was indeed a place where wild animals were celebrated and revered. Having all these points, the town was still left shocked and amazed when the lady brought the ancient relic that she discovered in her backyard.
And there was another reason why Lynne's organization was important. When there was a study conducted, there was an indication that the animal population in the forest had stooped down comparatively. So, Garner was determined to make a changed about this. She got to work and nursed all the animals under her care to be brought back into the forest.
And sometimes there would be a problem as the animals could not be released back into the wild. If there was such a case as this, Lynne's organization made sure to find a place for the disabled animal so that they could continue to live a peaceful life. But her heart would be shattered upon seeing the struggles that these poor animals had to live with.
Lynne was a hard worker who was not just all talk and no action. She always made sure her plans followed through, that work was actually done. And so she was able to manage in helping various animals in the past. Theses animals she helped all had been successfully released back in the wild. She was able to gain full support for her foundation from the locals.
And even the way these folks supported her was not just word of mouth. There were so many locals who even donated to the cause in the previous years. Since she believed in the cause that she worked for, she enjoyed and felt blessed to have gained support from people. There was, however, one creature that made her tear up when she took care of it.
There was one other thing that Bishop’s Stortford was very famous for. Well, the town was well known for its lush vegetation and trees. There was quite a lot of greenery and vegetation in the area. The town exists around the River Stort Valley, which is the main reason why the surrounding has so much greenery. There are numerous kinds of trees and plants all over.
And so, naturally, if there is a lot of greenery and vegetation present, there is bound to be animals present as well. Various kinds of animals live in and around this area. However, forests of this kind usually attract all sorts of creatures both benign and malevolent. Lynne had never imagined that nature would be so cruel and unforgiving. It had never crossed her mind.
There were a woman and her hubby who were just spending some time in their backyard. Since the two had previously discovered ancient relics in the past, the two thought it would be a great idea to try and dig around some more. They found a mysterious item and so the pair put on their gloves and their equipment to try and unveil what this actually was.
The couple had found a few relics and ancient items so they were convinced that this would be another great find. They were looking under the rock as they believed some artifacts to be present underneath the soil. When they went to work and dug around, there was a brown lump. They were immediately sure that this would definitely be something valuable.
So when they found this in between the rock on their backyard, the couple got excited. The two of them then took a closer look at the dark brown object that was buried in the ground. The two exchanged looks as they now discovered something interesting. The woman quickly went inside to grab her camera. She wanted to click the photos of what they had found.
And when she hurried to take her camera from inside the house, her husband was still busy inspecting the item. And when she finally came out, she could see that her husband had placed the relic in his hand. But to their dismay, the couple realized that this was not at all a relic but something they never expected. One thing for sure was that it really needed their help.
Whey they took what they thought was a relic in their hands, they were in awe to see what it actually was. This was something the two did not anticipate on discovering at all in their backyard. It was, in fact, an animal that was fairly common to the area. The couple was so shocked to have dug this out from the rocks. They immediately called for a vet to check on it. So what was it?
The animal that the couple was convinced was an artifact was actually a hedgehog. It was a tiny hedgehog but this creature was definitely not an ordinary hedgehog. The tow quickly took it to the A120 Veterinary Surgery near Little Hadham. There was something really special and unique about this animal. So what did they find out at the animal hospital?
It turned out that the little hedgehog was unlike others. He actually suffered from alopecia that had been brought on due to a childhood trauma. And so what happened in the end? Well, the poor hedgehog lost all his spines. This was indeed a very bizarre case that does not really happen often. Hedgehogs actually make use of their spines to shield themselves from threats or enemies.
If the spines in a hedgehog are meant to protect them, then what happens if they do not have them? Well, it does not take a scientist to realize that not having spines would be an issue for them. And so the vets could tell that the overwhelming stress was to blame for his spines getting lost. So then you have to know what was the cause for this hedgehog to get this shocked?
But like we said, this was such an unusual finding that it even got the vets a little confused. They were not so sure about the ways they could effectively treat the hedgehog. And so what did they do? The vets then made a call to Lynne Garner. Fortunately for them, she was able to help. From the first moment she laid eyes on the poor hedgehog, it was pure love.
Ans so what did Lynne do? She immediately took him in and gave him a place in her rescue shelter. She also decided to name the spineless creature Derek. She only wanted to give him a place to live in where there would be minimal threats or danger. She was on a mission to make him strong again and regain his health. But Derek's past trauma still caught on to him.
So what exactly happened to the little hedgehog for him to have become this way? When Derek was just a tiny hoglet, he had suffered a traumatic injury. This ended up making him very conscious and nervous about wildlife surroundings. "He [weighed] less than 100 grams, and they [hedgehogs] have to be 600 grams to survive the winter," Garner revealed in a later interview.
And so there was yet another problem for poor Derek the hedgehog. He had met with a rather large wound and moreover, it was infected. From what they could collect, the wounds that the hedgehog suffered from were from that of a bird attack. This was the blame for the hedgehog's injury. Lynne had to treat this in the course of several weeks.
"I've never seen this before in 25 years of looking after hedgehogs," Garner also explained to the interviewers. The poor tiny hedgehog had actually gone through so much. And so now, Garner and her team had been trying their best to achieve something that was next to possible. All they wanted was for the hedgehog to be okay in the future.
And on a hedgehog, there are usually about 5000 spines. So if this was the case for a normal hedgehog, Derek was certainly an odd one out. The poor fellow had already lost so much of his spines that he was basically bald. After searching for the best possible solution, Garner finally found an effective way to deal with the creature’s stress. She found a good way to bring its stress levels down to zero.
And so, in order to get his stress levels to lower down, Derek was in need of a warm and heated area where he could be free to roam about. He also had to live in a place where there was no risk of bumping into predators. And in today's world, there is no better place than social media to reach out to people. And so Lynne finally made a plea for Derek on Facebook.
The post read: “Derek has been diagnosed with stress-related alopecia. To reduce the stress, he needs a large heated area (an escape-proof heated greenhouse with no concrete floor would be ideal) where he could spend the next couple of months. Alternatively some form of treatment. Is there anyone who has such an enclosure or can suggest treatment? If you don't, then please spread far and wide. We really want to get him 100% by March so we can release him back into the wild. THANKS.”
And so after waiting for a while, there was a response finally. A woman by the name Monique happened to answer her post looking for a home for poor Derek. “All sorted. The fab Monique is picking Derek up on Friday. She's even going to give him a much-needed manicure. I'm sure she'll be able to achieve what I haven't - a hog with spines!” Garner explained.
Also, there was some very wonderful news in store for Derek. And Monique had made a promise to take care of the hedgehog until he was fir enough to get back to the wild. Until and unless his spines grew back, he would get the best treatment so that he could bounce back better than ever. But there was certainly a mammoth task to be done in order to make this happen.
And so what could Derek do to get back in shape so that he could return to the wild where he belongs. Well, he would need a very relaxed environment all to himself. He even managed to get a much-needed body massage. "With the new run hopefully he'll recover in the next two months and his stress levels will go down," Garner revealed with a positive attitude.
And Lynne made sure Derek received the best treatment he could. She was also in contact with several groups which also included the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. This was just another effort to try and find a more permanent solution for the luckless hedgehog. It was to make sure he had a place to live in just in case he was not able to grow his spines back.
And just like she had wanted, everything that Lynne worked for finally started showing a result. In the end, Derek’s spa treatment was a success. All the effort they put into making him better worked after all. Oil massage is one of the most effective ways to treat hedgehogs that have undergone injuries that are similar to Derek's. He was a good example to show that it actually works.
With the best kind of treatment and masaage that they could give, Derek was slowly showing progress. In most cases, this treatment actually facilitates spine growth. "He's a wild animal, and we want to be able to release him as soon as possible," Garner had also stated. In the pace that he was going, Derek would be ready to be placed in the wild again very soon.
And besides getting oil treatments plus a heated and calm environment, Derek was also given probiotics every day. This would help with his digestion and overall wellness. Derek’s health improved drastically. After his spines grew back, he was now as happy as ever. It was a miracle! With alopecia, some growth is expected but in Derek's case, all of his spines grew back. The creature was in a better shape than he ever was.
Derek the hedgehog was now given a brand new chance to live a happy life with credits to Garner and her team. Although the team that took care of the poor hedgehog are not entirely sure if he would thrive in the wild anymore, they were sure he was safe as long as he stayed with them. Derek did now need to worry about anything anymore as he was showered with love and affection from so many people...