UK gardening - WILDLIFE LOVERS SAY 'DITCH THE SLUG BAIT'

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WILDLIFE LOVERS SAY 'DITCH THE SLUG BAIT'

Stephen Firth

2007-03-26, 9:25 am

WILDLIFE LOVERS SAY 'DITCH THE SLUG BAIT'

Hedgehog lovers are warning gardeners to be on their guard when trying
to get rid of pests.

Prickly creatures across the county will soon be coming out of
hibernation, but numbers have been in decline over the past few years.

Wildlife experts said the main reason was because poison pellets,
commonly used by gardeners to kill slugs and snails, are also lethal
to hedgehogs, snails, worms, birds, and other animals, including pets.

Colleen Powell, founder of Leicester Hedgehog Rescue, in Scraptoft
Lane, said many died after eating pellets containing metaldehyde, but
also after eating the poisoned slugs and snails.

She said: "These slug pellets, which are often died blue, are lethal
to those unfortunate hedgehogs, and song thrushes, that eat the
poisoned slugs and snails. There is no antidote and eventually they
die because of the toxins."

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