2023-06-15 09:30:33
Robotic mowers, which many people use to cut their lawns, pose a mortal danger to wildlife. Hedgehogs and many other wild animals and pets are indeed regular victims.
Shearing robots inflict often fatal cuts and mutilations, underlines the world animal protection organization FOUR PAWS. When it comes to hedgehogs, gardening tools such as brush cutters, leaf blowers or vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers and robotic lawn mowers are the second leading cause of injury and death after road traffic.
Indeed, hedgehogs do not run away, but roll up in case of danger. Either they die immediately as a result of an accident with a robot, or they suffer serious injuries.
Also bad for biodiversity
But the robots have yet another major drawback: they deprive the hedgehog, and also the birds, of their basic food. “Insects, arachnids and snails do not find favorable living conditions on a lawn that is always mowed close”, explains Nicolas Roeschli, biologist at FOUR PAWS Switzerland.
“They are often crushed by the robot mower. Amphibians, strictly protected species, are also at the mercy of the blades, like lizards and other reptiles. Biodiversity is permanently reduced.”
Other dangers still await wild and domestic animals. FOUR PAWS, for example, also warns against the danger of drowning in garden ponds and open cellar windows, real death traps.
Useful tips
The organization gives some tips for maintaining an animal-friendly garden. “It suffices to lay planks lined with transverse strips or small netting in the ponds to allow the animals to get out of the water. Instead of leaving the windows of the cellar open as a fanlight, they can be secured by a grid of protection, so the animals won’t get stuck,” explains Nicolas Roeschli.
This also recommends avoiding robotic lawnmowers, especially in the evening and at dusk, or using them only under close supervision. “The ideal is to use the robot only under supervision during the day”.
The best from the point of view of the protection of animals and nature is in any case to have a garden that is as natural as possible, in which birds and small wild animals find food and protection, recalls the organization.
This article has been published automatically. Source: ats
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