Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

Just wanted to give a reminder to everyone about checking bonfires before lighting them after one of the latest casualties to come into our Hospital.
It wasn't until after the bonfire had been lit that a lady realised there was a hedgehog in it. She rescued it as quickly as she could, but not before a large area on his back had been badly burnt.
He is still undergoing treatment in the Hospital.

Please check any bonfire for wildlife before lighting it! If possible, move the whole thing bit by bit, to a different area before lighting so that you are sure there is no wildlife sheltering in it.

Let's all try to make sure that no other animals suffer in this way.

I haven't had a bonfire for a long time, but I do always make sure there is no wildlife inside before I light it. That's terrible about the hedgehog, I'm glad she realised before it was too late though. I hope he makes a full recovery.

Thank you for the reminder! I noticed yesterday that I have got some unsuspected frogs in my back garden where I had been thinking about doing some strimming. I stopped, and will proceed more slowly in the future so as not to endanger any more animals.

Kingfisher

It's easy to forget when doing little gardening bits to check for wildlife first, but it's always worth it because quite often animals and especially insects get into places you would never expect them to be.

Many years ago I was at a friends house who was just about to have a small bonfire. When I got there I asked whether they had checked for animals that might be sheltering inside it, and they hadn't. As it was small we moved it bit by bit to another place, and to his surprise found a hedgehog inside which scuttled away as soon as it was revealed.

I hope he now checks all his bonfires.