We need the scanner to be able to scan female hedgehogs when they are admitted to the hospital to check if they are pregnant so that suitable housing, nest materials are immediately given and if we know they are pregnant some drugs we would normally use for some conditions would be carefully considered. It is almost impossible to tell if a hedgehog is pregnant without this equipment. By placing in our quieter housing areas/ nursery and volunteers being aware she is pregnant will ensure minimum handling and disturbance which will give mum and babies a better chance of all being released back to the wild. During the spring/summer months we take in up to 170-180 hedgehogs a month and many of these are females which are already pregnant. Hedgehogs are now on the UK red list for endangered British mammals and the more we can save and release back the wild the better chance there is to avoid their becoming extinct.