(WJAR) — Several trees along the road were decorated with artificial webs for the Halloween season, prompting concerns online that the material could entangle birds and leave them injured.
“I don’t think it’s harmful at all because the leaves are falling and I’m in the holiday spirit and I like the holiday decorations,” said North Kingstown resident Alice Bacon.
Another resident, Alex Todling, said the decorations caught his attention.
Fake spiderwebs decorating trees and bushes on Post Road in North Kingstown. (WJAR)
“This is the first time that I’ve seen anything like that,” Todling said. “If it does affect the birds, then we have an issue.”
Dr. Blaine Hymel, medical director and wildlife veterinarian with the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island, said synthetic spider webs can pose a serious risk to birds.
“The material can wrap around a bird’s toes or wings, potentially preventing it from flying. In severe cases, entanglement can lead to injuries that require amputation,” Dr. Hymel said.”
The Post Road Business Alliance decorated some trees along Post Road to help celebrate the season. (WJAR)
Even if no trapped birds have been reported, Hymel said preventing potential injuries is important.
“Even if we haven’t seen them get trapped doesn’t mean it’s not a possibility,” Hymel said.
The Post Road Business Alliance, which put up the decorations, said in a statement that the decorated trees are dead, so it was just a bit of fun before they get removed, saying:
Our community has been concerned about several dead trees along Post Road for some time, and we were finally able to obtain permission from the property owner to have them removed. With Halloween approaching, we thought it would be fun to decorate the trees before their removal, which we are coordinating with a Post Road cleanup scheduled for November 8th.This past weekend, our volunteers collected trash from the vacant lot, and we are looking forward to seeing the property further improved once the trees are removed.We genuinely did not realize that the Halloween decorations could pose a hazard to birds and other wildlife. We appreciate having this brought to our attention and will certainly avoid using these materials in the future.While we did receive some concerns about the decorations, the overall response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. Many residents have expressed their appreciation for the attention the Post Road Business Alliance is bringing to an area that has needed some care for quite some time.”Our goal has always been to bring people together, encourage community pride, and make Post Road a cleaner, more attractive place for everyone. We appreciate the feedback and the continued support of our efforts!
NBC 10 also reached out to DEM to see if there are any regulations in place, and the agency says there aren’t any, but it is still a threat, with their statement reading:
“There are no DEM regulations specifically regarding these decorations. However, fake spiderweb and cobweb outdoor decorations can pose a threat to local wildlife, especially birds and bats. These decorations are typically made from strong synthetic fibers that can entangle, injure, or kill animals that fly into them.”
Fake spiderwebs decorating trees on Post Road in North Kingstown. (WJAR)
Dr. Hymel suggested that for those looking to get into the Halloween spirit but want to protect wildlife, to simply keep the spider webs indoors.