You may want to think carefully about where you put food and water
You can help out animal wildlife struggling in the hot weather(Image: Getty)
This summer’s persistent dry spell is making survival tough for local wildlife. To help, the RSPCA is sharing some simple thing you can do in your gardens and outdoor spaces to assist wild creatures like badgers, foxes, and hedgehogs.
RSPCA wildlife expert Rebecca Machin said: “The extreme heat can affect a wide range of animals, including wildlife. Droughts harden the ground making it difficult for animals to find food, and water sources can dry up.”
Thankfully, householders can take easy steps to protect these four-legged visitors. Through its Summer of Kindness initiative, the charity is encouraging everyone to think about ways to support nearby animals and safeguard the surrounding ecosystem.
Little changes for a big impact
Ms Machin said: “You could help wildlife struggling in the weather by creating a wildlife water station, leave food out for hungry hedgehogs, or even plant flowers for pollinators to help bees, beetles and butterflies thrive. If we all make little changes we can have a big impact on the lives of the animals we share our world with, and together we can create a kinder world for all animals.”
Leaving out a few basics can make a world of difference to passing animals. Meat-based canned cat or dog food works well, offering a safe food source for visiting hedgehogs, foxes, and badgers.
However, you should keep an eye on how long food sits outside is crucial. Ms Machi said: Leaving food out too long could risk it going off in the heat, particularly things like meaty cat/dog food.” She said you should also replace any drinking water you put out “each day”.
Putting supplies in shaded spots is a good idea, to prevent water evaporating and keeping any food fresh for longer. It also offers animals a cooler, safer spot to rest while they eat and drink.
Another thing to be ware of is if you have a pond, this should include some stones, so insects can drink without drowning. It’s also a good idea to have a shallow bank, so animals like hedgehogs who are having a drink can get out of the water, should they fall in.
Which animals struggle in the hot weather?
You may want to spare a thought for these wildlife friends who can struggle in the hot weather:
Badgers and hedgehogs – droughts harden the ground making it harder to dig for worms and beetles. Females struggling to stay hydrated will produce less milk for their young, impacting them tooTadpoles, invertebrates and fish – Ponds drying up or reaching low water levels can affect water-based species, and animals that feed on themBees – There may be less food for them to forage, meaning less food for young in the hive.Ground-nesting birds, reptiles, moles, rabbits – especially at risk of wild fires.What else can you do to support wildlife in your garden or outdoor spaces?
Ms Machin shared some more tips for how to arrange your outdoor space to help animal friends:
Avoid lighting fires or using disposable barbecues – which are temporarily banned – or anything that could create a spark, as there is an increased risk of fire due to the dry grassAlways properly tidy up litter and dispose of it responsiblyLeave out fresh drinking water in shallow trays, and include stones so insects can drink without drowningLeave out food that is appropriate for whatever animals visit your gardenRegularly clean bird baths and bird feeders to avoid the risk of disease transmission, particularly between May and October when there is a higher risk of spreadCreate appropriate shelter such as a hedgehog house or toad house, or put up a bird boxCreate safe routes for animals to move between gardens, like a hedgehog highway, by cutting a small hole in the base of your fence or digging a little tunnel under the garden boundary, if your neighbour is happy with thisObserve from a distance – remember to give wild animals space so as not to startle themIf you see a public pond that is getting low, report this to the Environment Agency.