As well as its practical work with wildlife rescue, the Folly Wildlife Rescue Trust is committed to raising awareness of the plight facing much of our of wildlife.

Vast numbers of wild animals are killed and maimed each year in accidents, that are, by and large easily preventable. Many of these are highlighted in the section Hazards to Wildlife and through its leaflets and talks to school children, colleges and community groups, the Trust looks to promote the message that everyone can help reduce the deadly toll the modern world is taking on our natural wildlife heritage.

Many species are already under tremendous pressure from over-development and loss of habitat and it is likely that the additional losses many populations incur through man-made hazards, have led to their further demise and even disappearance from many parts of the country.

Hedgehogs are a case in point; people visiting the centre often tell us that ‘they used to see hedgehogs in their gardens, but not any more’ The evidence suggests that many, formally healthy populations, already reeling from the impact of vastly increased levels of road traffic, are simply unable to cope with the additional effects of over-development, over-tidy and close-board fenced gardens (which restrict their home ranges and therefore ability to feed), domestic dog attack, injury by garden machinery, pesticides, steep-sided ponds and garden netting.

A recent Mammal Society report suggests that hedgehogs may well become extinct in the UK in the next 20 years unless something is done to reverse the decline. Once they’ve gone, it’s likely they’re gone forever.

Additionally, many other favourite (and formally very common) species are now in decline and under threat. Starlings, house sparrows, songthrushes as well as many migratory birds such as the house martin, swift, swallow and cuckoo have seen their populations nose-dive in recent years.

Man’s onward march towards more and more development is it appears unstoppable, so it’s up to everyone to do their bit. It may not appear that important to check that your dog isn’t injuring hedgehogs or that the garden netting you left lying around has entangled and killed a grass snake, but it is, and it’s even more important that the next generation has a different attitude towards wildlife and the natural world than our present one, which to say the least, in some quarters, is often one of complete and total indifference to their fate.

Online Donation

You can make a secure online donation via our CAF page.
Click on the button below and a new page will open with a variety of options with which to pay online.
Your kind and generous donation will directly help injured wildlife.