We know that our amphibians and reptiles like to find dark, warm places to hide in at this time of year, which is why we love building hibernacula, log piles or compost heaps in our gardens. These are all very similar to bonfires, so please keep an eye out for our species and other wildlife hiding in your bonfire materials!
Here are some handy tips on how to keep wildlife safe:
- Wait until the latest possible time to build your bonfire. This will reduce the chance of wildlife taking up residence. If you want to be organised and collect the materials beforehand, stack these up in a separate place and ideally away from your usual wildlife-friendly spots.
- Check, check and check again before lighting the bonfire, use a torch to make extra sure and only light the fire from one side giving any wildlife time to escape.
- Make sure the bonfire is out, or safe before leaving it, ash can remain hot for a while and can potentially harm wildlife.
- Think about creating a permanent home for wildlife in a quiet area of your garden. This can be a log pile, leaf pile, hibernaculum, rockery, or compost heap. Find out more here and let us know how you get on.
