Let’s hear it for the little guys!
LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE LITTLE GUYS!
Born Free Doesn’t Just Care For Lions And Elephants. The Rescue And Care Of UK Wild Animals Is Also Our Priority.
Here in the UK, we’re blessed with a unique variety of species from hedgehogs, foxes and badgers, to deer, otters, bats and birds. Sadly, they can face many threats and dangers, but Born Free helps care for orphan, sick and injured wild animals across the country.
Sadly, every year in the UK thousands of wild animals are injured and orphaned, and this is often because of human activity. Problems include road traffic accidents, entanglement in rubbish and fishing lines, poisoning by pesticides, attack by domestic pets, window ‘strikes’, and much more. These incidents take a huge toll, especially when you factor in loss of habitat, intensive farming practices and building development.
Born Free is fighting to protect the wonderful wild animals found here in the UK and Tarnya Knight, our Rescue & Care Coordinator, is also a wildlife rescuer. “Spring and summer months are busy times, with animals including hedgehogs, birds and rabbits being injured or separated from their mothers. Too young to fend for themselves, baby animals need bottle or syringe-feeding day and night.
“At the end of June I took in two seven-week-old barn owl chicks, Stirling and Kane, found alone on a barn floor in Billingshurst, West Sussex. It wasn’t possible to reunite them with their parents – young barn owls rely on food from adults for up to three months. But, now under the expert care of our friends at Folly Wildlife Rescue in Kent, the siblings will soon be ready to fend for themselves and go back to the wild.
“As weather turns colder, autumn juvenile hedgehogs, born late in the season, without enough fat reserves to survive hibernation will be in need of help. I overwintered 30 hedgehogs last year which, robust and healthy, all went back to the wild this spring.
“Born Free has supported UK rescue centres for many years. These centres rely on donations and are managed by dedicated people – often volunteers – who care for so many sick and vulnerable individuals. They are often a wild animal’s last chance. We are proud to support this valuable work by providing rescue equipment, new facilities, vet support, medicines and good food.”
Recent Born Free support includes:
- Pricklebums Hedgehog Rescue, Ludlow, Shropshire – £863 to purchase an ultra sound scanner to scan females prior to treatment (certain meds can harm unborn hoglets).
- East Sussex Wildlife Rescue, Whitesmith – £1,000 towards two new aviaries and replacement panels.
- Folly Wildlife Rescue, Kent – £1,000 to cover the costs of replenishing stocks of milk replacers, feeding bottles, teats etc from April to September.
- Bird Aid, Halisham, East Sussex– £500 towards repairing and replacing pens for seagulls.
- Swans & Friends Bird Rescue, Copthorne – £500 to purchase four new tyres for their wildlife ambulance – in constant use.
- The Fox Project, Kent – £1,000 towards set up costs of a new hospital unit.
- Hogfields Hedgehog Rescue, Birmingham – £658 to purchase pens, heat pads, food and water bowls. Enabling the rescue to care for more hedgehogs
You can help!
There are many ways! From providing fresh water and food for wildlife visitors to your garden, to making gardens more wildlife-friendly and volunteering at your local wildlife rescue centre.