Willows Hedgehog Rescue has joined forces with Birmingham City Council and other councils across the West Midlands to raise awareness of the dangers that brush cutters and ‘strimmers’ can pose to wildlife, especially hedgehogs. Many hundreds of hedgehogs every year are seriously injured, sometimes fatally, by the use of line trimmers or ‘strimmers’. Hundreds of hoglets (young hedgehogs) are also orphaned by gardening activities where the sow hedgehog is either killed, injured or disturbed to the extent that she abandons her young.
Deputy Leader for Birmingham City Council, Cllr Ian Ward, said: “We are happy to support Willows’campaign to raise awareness about using strimmers safely. Their ‘Think Hedgehog’ stickers are a simple way to remind strimmer users to watch out for hedgehogs and other wildlife and we will be ensuring that all our parks staff use equipment with this campaign branding.”
Jayne Lawrence from Willows, which is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of native European Hedgehogs, said: “Councils are large scale users of strimming equipment and maintain large expanses of hedgerow and verges in and around our towns and cities.
“These areas provide important habitat for hedgehogs and while leaving areas wild is preferable for wildlife, where they do need to be cut operators need to be aware of the potential danger for wildlife if the area is not checked first.”
Charlie Walker, co-founder from Willows, added: “Our aim is to make all operators aware of the danger that strimmers can pose to wildlife and especially hedgehogs.
“Danger that can be avoided by simply checking the area to be cut before working.”
For more information about the project and the organisations involved visit willowshedgehogrescue.co.uk
