Grim toll of wildlife affected by litter left in Essex
ESSEX is among the top six counties in the UK for the highest number of calls to the RSPCA to report animals affected by litter, new figures show.
The RSPCA has received almost 13,000 reports over the past four years, with hundreds in Essex.
The county had the sixth-highest number of reports about animals found severely injured, trapped, mutilated, choked or even dead from carelessly discarded litter.
Shocking new figures released by the RSPCA found there were 428 reports in Essex over the past four years.
Distressing incidents dealt with by the RSPCA included a hedgehog entangled in old barbed wire, a fox cub with litter caught round his neck, a goose with an old drinks can stuck to her lower beak and a great black backed gull whose leg became almost completely detached due to old fishing line cutting in.
Amongst mammals, litter-related discarded rubbish. The RSPCA even received reports of family pets such as cats and dogs being affected by litter.
RSPCA anti-litter campaigns manager Carrie Stones said: “Our rescuers deal with thousands of avoidable incidents every year where animals have been impacted by litter. Old drinks cans and bottles, plastic items and even disposable vapes are just some of the items that pose a danger to our wildlife, including hedgehogs, deer and foxes.
“Animals can ingest the litter or become entangled, leading to injuries, mutilations and even death. Sadly, for every animal we’re able to help there are probably many others that go unseen, unreported and may even lose their lives.
“But the public can help us protect animals, and avoid these incidents happening in the first place.”