Overview
- Officers stopped a small van at the Ostedeich in Osten, Cuxhaven district, on Monday and found two live hedgehogs inside an insulated bag.
- A third hedgehog was reportedly thrown from the vehicle shortly before the stop, according to police.
- The suspects, aged 49 and 50, are being investigated under the Federal Nature Conservation Act, which allows penalties of up to five years in prison or fines up to €50,000.
- The animals were examined by the local nature conservation office and released back into the wild.
- Police are reviewing a possible consumption motive and several tips received over the past year, and wildlife carers warn that eating hedgehogs carries parasite-related health risks.