With a hot summer approaching, our local wildlife face serious risks from dehydration, heat stress, and in severe cases, death.
Your backyard can be a refuge for native animals struggling with soaring temperatures. Our Gardens for Wildlife team recommends these essential measures to create a safe and inviting habitat:
- Provide several shallow dishes of fresh water in shady spots throughout your garden, avoiding metal containers that can become hot in direct sunlight. Place some rocks or sticks on the edge of the saucer for small birds or insects to perch on.
- Position some dishes at ground level for reptiles and insects, while placing others higher up or near dense shrubs to give birds and small mammals a safe drinking spot away from predators. Remember to refresh the water regularly to prevent disease transmission and mosquitoes.
- Indigenous plants provide wildlife with shelter from heat and predators. They are also naturally adapted to local soils and designed to withstand hot, dry summers, making them low-maintenance and robust.
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