Hedgehogs in mortal danger: Moravity calls for increased animal welfare!
Hedgehogs in mortal danger: Moravity calls for increased animal welfare!
Köln, Deutschland - robotic lawnmowers are becoming increasingly popular in many gardens because they automatically keep the lawn short. But these devices reserve serious dangers for the animal world, especially for hedgehogs. According to an investigation, which is supported by the state animal protection officer Julia Stubenbord in Baden-Württemberg, among other things, the reports on injured hedgehogs increase rapidly due to robotic lawnmower. These animals are particularly at risk due to their behavior because they roll up and do not flee in the event of danger and cannot flee, which can lead to serious injuries. A current survey shows that between June 2022 and October 2023, 370 hedgehogs with cuts were reported nationwide - almost 47% of the animals did not survive these injuries. These alarming numbers underline a growing problem.
The federal government and experts from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-ID) therefore call for a night driving ban for robotic lawnmowers, since hedgehogs are particularly active at night. Appropriate regulations have already come into force in some cities, including Cologne, Mainz and Erfurt. The increasing risk of hedgehogs was also taken by scientific data, which document an increase in injuries by 30 to 50 percent at hedgehog stations since spring. The overwhelming of the catch stations is another light on the urgency of the problem.
habitats and hedgehog population
The hedgehog population is not only endangered by robotic lawnmowers. Loss of living and lack of food throw other shadows on the survival of this kind. Igel are considered cultural successors and have been found more often in urban areas since 2010, since agricultural areas have been severely destroyed. Many hedgehogs live in large parks in Berlin, but here too they need varied landscapes with hedges and meadows to reproduce. If the pressure remains on the natural environment, the reproduction of the hedgehogs, which is already on the pre -warning list of the Red List in Germany, will continue to be more difficult.
The scientific studies show that robotic lawnmowers are unable to recognize hedgehog as a danger, which leads to a high number of unreported cases of injured or killed animals. In the United States, certain technical solutions to recognize small animals have been developed, but these are not yet marketable. The scientists appeal to the manufacturers to become active here and to deal more strongly with the animal welfare problem.
recommendations and measures
The animal welfare organizations and the IGEL initiative FRG have issued clear recommendations to protect hedgehogs and other small animals. This includes the request not to run the robotic lawnmowers during the night and to pay attention to the times before and after sunrise and sunset. In addition, users are advised to check their gardens for small animals before use, even if tests have already shown that even devices can fail as small animal -proof.
The discussion about the protection of the hedgehogs and the introduction of night driving bans is more topical than ever. Stihl, a leading manufacturer of robots, is aware of the risks and has already taken measures to reduce risk, for example through lack of navigation in preset mowing plans. However, the use of these recommendations is ultimately the responsibility of the users who should actively work for the protection of the wildlife.
The federal government finally recommends that the bodies to promote biodiversity and protect hedgehogs, insects and other animals.
This problem тебет urgently political need for action, such as the financial support of hedgehog stations and a ban on the operation of robots at night. The challenges for the hedgehog population can only be managed and possible solutions implemented.
Tagesspiegel reports that robots are distributed in many gardens and a significant risk to hedgehogs represent. Further information can be found at rbb24 and the Leibniz-Izw , which both reaffirm the severity of the situation and the need for measures to reduce risk.
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