Litter endangering region's wildlife, warns RSPCA

The West Midlands has the third largest number of incidents in the country of litter endangering wildlife, says the RSPCA.

Last year, there were 87 reports to the charity of animals affected by litter in the region. The only areas with more reports were Greater London and Greater Manchester.

In one instance a duck was left struggling to eat after a plastic six-pack beer can holder got caught around its neck and beak on the Walsall Canal.

The animal charity is now urging people to sign up for a nationwide litter pick to help protect wildlife.

In the reported wildlife incidents in the West Midlands, the RSPCA included Birmingham, the Black Country, Wolverhampton, Solihull, and Coventry.

Elsewhere, there were 28 incidents reported in Staffordshire, 20 in Worcestershire, 17 in Warwickshire, eight in Herefordshire, and five in Shropshire.

RSPCA officers rescued the duck from the Walsall Canal and took it for treatment at the charity's Newbrook Animal Hospital in Birmingham.

The plastic ring around its neck had meant it had struggled to eat and swallow, and there were concerns that it would starve to death or snag the plastic ring on something and then drown.

In another incident in the Black Country last year, the RSPCA was called to a pond in West Bromwich after a duckling had ingested a deflated balloon and string.

It was taken to Vale Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre in Gloucestershire, where staff were able to remove the string and balloon.

In the wake of the incident, the charity urged the public: "Please always deflate balloons and cut them up before putting them safely into your bin to prevent wildlife casualties."

Litter continues to be a blight on the region's wildlife. In an incident in February this year, which was reported to Cuan Wildlife Rescue in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, a hedgehog was found with an elastic band stuck around his middle, cutting into his skin.

Other common causes of injury to wildlife include discarded fishing hooks. Around 34% of all litter-related calls to the RSPCA last year were about animals that had become caught in fishing tackle litter.

In a bid to protect the nation's wildlife, the RSPCA is now urging people to join Keep Britain Tidy's Great British Spring Clean, which starts on Friday and runs until 6 April.

The RSPCA's anti-litter campaign manager, Carrie Stones, said spring was an ideal time for a litter pick, as it is before the breeding season, when young animals such as fox cubs are at risk of hurting themselves. Litter in hedges is also more visible to pickers before the vegetation starts growing.

Ms Stones said: "It's distressing to see how our native wildlife is being affected by litter. Our rescuers deal with so many avoidable incidents every year where animals have been impacted by litter.

"Sadly, for every animal we're able to help, there are probably many others that go unseen and unreported, and some of our fellow living creatures may even be losing their lives.

"But the public can help us protect animals and avoid these incidents happening in the first place."

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