How you can Help Wildlife

Our population is rapidly growing; areas that were once open wildlife habitats have slowly become urbanized. Over time, we have demolished wildlife habitats, making them fewer and smaller.

There are significant ways that each person can avoid direct or indirect harm to the wildlife that lives with us.

How can we help wildlife?

-Keep your pets indoors.

Dogs and cats that stray out of the house can cause damage to all sorts of wild animals – from the smallest house sparrow to a 40kg gazelle.

During spring, when fledgling songbirds leave their nest for the first time, they are very vulnerable to the attack of a dog or cat because they do not know how to fly well or how to escape danger. Keep your dog on a leash and your cats indoors in order to prevent attacks on wildlife in your area.

-Keep wildlife in the wild.

The home of wild animals is in the wild. Keeping a wild animal in captivity is illegal and incorrect care is extremely detrimental to the animal’s health.

Have you seen a wild animal cub/chick and think it’s been orphaned? Do not take it home to hand-raise it! It is most likely that the parents are still in the area.

Have you gone for a walk and seen a cute turtle on the side of the road? Let it be, it is exactly where it should be!

If unsure what to do: call the Environmental hotline (*6911).

-Do not leave fishing hooks/nets behind.

Much wildlife, especially waterfowl and marsh turtles get caught in nets or swallow hooks. Sadly, only a few arrive for treatment. Make sure to clear of any fishing equipment after you have used it and dispose of it correctly.

-Drive carefully.

Especially in the urban and open areas, take care and be aware of wildlife residing in the area. Drive carefully so that it will be possible to avoid hitting a wild animal.

-Don’t litter, use litter bins.

Keeping our environment clean is as important as it is for us at it is for the wildlife that lives with us. Litter is more harmful to animals than you think. For example, wild animals, like mountain goats, might eat plastic bags and die from intestinal obstruction. Eagles may feed their chicks with metals or plastics that they think is a source of calcium. Take care not to leave rubbish around and do not litter.

-Avoid pruning in the spring.

Whole colonies of nesting wild birds can be destroyed due to pruning trees during spring. Avoid pruning during spring or at the very least make sure there are no nests in the tree.